Laura Simmons

UNC Charlotte Urban Institute
Director of Community Indicators

Biography

Laura serves as the Director of Community Indicators at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, where she works to help people find, interpret, and present data. She leads the Institute’s indicator projects including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Quality of Life Explorer, which provides a wealth of data on neighborhoods across Mecklenburg County, and the Charlotte Regional Indicators, a resource for a variety of data on the region’s 14 counties. She also coordinates the Institute’s mapping and spatial analysis efforts.

Education

Laura holds a masters in geography from UNC Charlotte and a bachelor’s in geography from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.

Expertise

Laura has expertise in spatial analysis and mapping, data visualization, and applied research focusing on demographic and economic issues.

Articles

  • Population growth in the 32-county study area starting in 1850
    ui.uncc.edu
    Aug 26, 2019
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  • 2018 North Mecklenburg Demographic and Housing Assessment
    plancharlotte.org
    Feb 06, 2019
    On February 4, 2019, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and Lake Norman Economic Development Corporation released the 2018 North Mecklenburg Demographic and Housing Assessment. This report presents the findings from a demographics and housing assessment for the northern part of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (North Mecklenburg).
  • 2018 North Mecklenburg Demographic and Housing Assessment
    ui.uncc.edu
    Feb 06, 2019
    On February 4, 2019, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and Lake Norman Economic Development Corporation released the 2018 North Mecklenburg Demographic and Housing Assessment. This report presents the findings from a demographics and housing assessment for the northern part of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (North Mecklenburg).
  • Report tallies college and career readiness programs
    ui.uncc.edu
    Aug 15, 2018
    Institute researchers look at the ecosystem of college- and career-readiness programs in Mecklenburg County.
  • Building? Demolitions? Explore neighborhood data
    plancharlotte.org
    Mar 28, 2018
    Did residential construction in Mecklenburg County rise last year? Where do fewer students attend their assigned public school? That information and more can be at your fingertips.
  • Building? Demolitions? Explore neighborhood data
    ui.uncc.edu
    Mar 28, 2018
    Did residential construction in Mecklenburg County rise last year? Where do fewer students attend their assigned public school? That information and more can be at your fingertips.
  • Map of Mecklenburg poverty shows familiar pattern
    ui.uncc.edu
    Nov 16, 2016
    In honor of worldwide GIS Day, we're highlighting a recent map from one of our researchers, demonstrating how this sort of map can visually explain public policy issues.
  • Snapshot of poverty in Mecklenburg County
    ui.uncc.edu
    Dec 18, 2015
    The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute is working with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force to present data shedding light on questions surrounding poverty and economic mobility in our community. This look at poverty facts for Mecklenburg County may surprise you.
  • Turkeys? Pecans? Collards? Mapping your Thanksgiving meal
    ui.uncc.edu
    Nov 19, 2015
    Many people know North Carolina is a major turkey producer, No. 2 in the U.S. But did you know it’s tops in sweet potatoes, or that South Carolina is No. 2 for collards? A Carolina atlas for your Thanksgiving meal.
  • Institute and Richmond Fed host third annual Data Day
    ui.uncc.edu
    Oct 15, 2015
    Nearly 200 people attended the third annual Charlotte Data Day on Oct. 6 -7. The event featured Richard Fry, a Pew Research Center expert on the Millennial generation, and sessions on demographic data and research.