Counties, tracts, and ZIP codes are convenient units, but they vary a lot in size and shape. That distorts how density reads on a map. A uniform hexagon grid avoids the problem. Every cell covers the same area, so color and height differences compare fairly from Bear Lake to St. George.
Building the grid
I summed Census 2020 block populations into a statewide grid of hexagons of about 50 square miles each. I used the Summarize Within tool in ArcGIS Pro. The block data comes from the Utah Geospatial Resource Center (UGRC). Each hexagon's value is the sum of the block population inside it.
Encoding density twice
The map encodes population two ways. A graduated color ramp gives a quick statewide read. 3D extrusion turns population into height. The height makes the outliers, such as Salt Lake City and West Valley City, stand out without stretching the color ramp so far that the rest of the state goes flat.
What it shows
At the statewide scale, the dense centers along the Wasatch Front stand out without hiding the smaller towns and rural counties around them. That comparison is harder to make with a county-level choropleth map alone.
Originally created for the “Hexagons” theme of the 2024 #30DayMapChallenge.