Mean Center (Spatial Statistics)

Summary

Identifies the geographic center (or the center of concentration) for a set of features.

Learn more about how Mean Center works

Illustration

Mean Center illustration

Usage

Syntax

MeanCenter_stats (Input_Feature_Class, Output_Feature_Class, {Weight_Field}, {Case_Field}, {Dimension_Field})
ParameterExplanationData Type
Input_Feature_Class

A feature class for which the mean center will be calculated.

Feature Layer
Output_Feature_Class

A point feature class that will contain the features representing the mean centers of the input feature class.

Feature Class
Weight_Field
(Optional)

The numeric field used to create a weighted mean center.

Field
Case_Field
(Optional)

Field used to group features for separate mean center calculations. The case field can be of integer, date, or string type.

Field
Dimension_Field
(Optional)

A numeric field containing attribute values from which an average value will be calculated.

Field

Code Sample

MeanCenter Example (Python Window)

The following Python Window script demonstrates how to use the MeanCenter tool.

import arcpy
arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:\data"
arcpy.MeanCenter_stats("coffee_shops.shp", "coffee_MEANCENTER.shp", "NUM_EMP", "#", "#")
MeanCenter Example (Stand-alone Python script)

The following stand-alone Python script demonstrates how to use the MeanCenter tool.

# Measure geographic distribution characteristics of coffee house locations weighted by the number of employees
 
# Import system modules
import arcpy
 
# Local variables...
workspace = "C:/data"
input_FC = "coffee_shops.shp"
CF_output = "coffee_CENTRALFEATURE.shp"
MEAN_output = "coffee_MEANCENTER.shp"
MED_output = "coffee_MEDIANCENTER.shp"
weight_field = "NUM_EMP"
 
try:
    # Set the workspace to avoid having to type out full path names
    arcpy.env.workspace = workspace
 
    # Process: Central Feature...
    arcpy.CentralFeature_stats(input_FC, CF_output, "Euclidean Distance", weight_field, "#", "#")
 
    # Process: Mean Center...
    arcpy.MeanCenter_stats(input_FC, MEAN_output, weight_field, "#", "#")

    # Process: Median Center...
    arcpy.MedianCenter_stats(input_FC, MED_output, weight_field, "#", "#")
 
except:
    # If an error occurred when running the tool, print out the error message.
    print arcpy.GetMessages()

Environments

Output Coordinate System

Feature geometry is projected to the Output Coordinate System prior to analysis. All mathematical computations are based on the Output Coordinate System spatial reference.

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcView: Yes
ArcEditor: Yes
ArcInfo: Yes

3/7/2012