Library Guides: OOMPH Library Resources: Spatial Data Science courses: Geocoding/Geolocation

Geocoding Tools & Resources

Geocoding Services, Texas A&M University
Geocoding engine that will turn that address data into latitude longitude values.Includes:
- Batch Geocoding
- Geocoding APIs
- Desktop Client
- Interactive Geocoding
- Reverse Geocoding
and more.
Google Maps Geocoding API
The Google Maps Geocoding API is a service that provides geocoding and reverse geocoding of addresses. This service is also available as part of the client-side Google Maps JavaScript API, or for server-side use with the Java Client, Python Client, Go Client and Node.js Client for Google Maps Services.
Geocoding Resources from Yale Univ.
[placeholder for now]
(Will add UCB's geocoding "box" here when it's ready)
Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project 2.0 Training Manual
This online manual serves as a guide to help users explore the following topics:
- the history and context of, and rationale for, conducting this type of work;
- getting data from the Census and other sources;
- visualizing geocoded data and social metrics;
- conducting analyses with data aggregated to a specified level of geography vs. multi-level analyses with 2 or more levels of geography;
- interpreting data through a health equity lens.
Additional training materials are available at .

Overview of Geocoding Options

Esri geocoding options:

Currently the best, most accurate, freely available tools for the UCB community. They include:

ArcGIS Online (AGOL) - Access the Esri World Geocoding Service via a web browser. Suitable for smaller datasets. Documentation available here: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/geocode.htm
ArcGIS desktop - Includes tools for geocoding, batch geocoding, reverse geocoding and address standardization. Documentation available (make sure the version matches the version you are using). the Access data either through:
- Esri World Geocoding Service (links to the online service)
- Esri Business Analyst software & Business Analyst US 2015 or later data (works offline, best for extremely large datasets and restricted data) - Contact the D-Lab to use their installation.
Esri World Geocoding Service API - Programmatic access to batch geocoding and reverse geocoding services with Python or R. To get started go to to the ESRI developers.arcgis.com website and follow these instructions to generate a geocoding access token. You will need to use this access token in your geocoding script. Tokens last for 14 days and then expire.

The Esri World Geocoding Service provides high quality geocoding for place names, addresses and zip codes within the USA. It also works with locations outside of the USA, but in sometimes more limited ways. Global coverage is documented here: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/geocode-coverage.htm

For more details on getting started with the Esri tools check out this tutorial guide written by the D-Lab and the Library - Geocoding Options with Esri software and data: A Guide for the UCB Community

Google Geocoding API:

Great accuracy and currency, with global coverage. Requires programming to access (R, Python, javascript, etc.) and limited to 2,500 free geocodes per day.

Census Online Geocoding Tool:

Easy to use graphic interface for geocoding addresses. Just upload a file of up to 1,000 addresses. Has the option of outputting census lookup codes (FIPS codes for census tracts). There is an API for this service as well if you want to programmatically geocode more than 1,000 addresses at a time.

Geocoding in QGIS:

The MMQGIS plugin is a Python plugin for QGIS that contains geocoding tools, which can draw on the Google Geocoding API data, the OpenStreetMap Nominatim service, or a local street address layer, such as the US Census Bureau's TIGER/Line data.