Using the Rankings panel
The Rankings panel shows where each county stands for the active metric. This guide explains how to read it and how to open a full county profile.
Opening the panel
The Rankings panel opens automatically when you select a data layer. It appears as a floating sidebar on the right side of the screen on desktop. It is not available on mobile.
The panel updates automatically when you switch layers — you do not need to close and reopen it.
Reading the rankings
The panel shows the top 5 and bottom 5 counties for the current metric, with each county's value and its difference from the national average.
- A positive difference (e.g. +4.2%) means this county is above the national average.
- A negative difference means it is below.
- Whether above or below is "good" depends on the metric — for unemployment, lower is better; for income, higher is better.
Opening a county profile
Click any county name in the Rankings panel, or click directly on a county on the map, to open its full profile. This shows:
- Rank — where this county sits out of 26 counties for the active metric.
- Value and difference — the county's figure and how far it is from the national average.
- Context metrics — 2–3 related indicators for the same data family.
- Signals — short factual insights about what stands out for this county relative to others.
- Energy burden classification — when viewing energy metrics, whether the county is intervention priority, active response, strong delivery, or lower priority. More on energy metrics →
Closing a county profile
Click the selected county name again, or click an empty area of the map, to return to the full top/bottom rankings view.