This document describes how to construct and compare choropleth maps for selected Iowa communities and the construction and use of scatter diagrams as a supplement to map comparisons. These tools can be used to compare social, economic, and political variations between neighborhoods and to determine if associations exist between selected variables. How to construct a choropleth map is outlined, along with the quartile, equal interval, and natural breaks classification methods. Scatter diagram construction is presented, and examples of how to interpret these graphs are featured. Tables, maps, graphs, and a list of eight sources that provide information useful for mapping local areas are included. (JHP)