How data drives community priorities

Numbers alone can’t tell a community’s story, but they can help make that story stronger. In cities like Memphis, data is one of the most powerful tools for shaping neighborhood priorities, allocating resources, and measuring real impact. When used thoughtfully, data can amplify community voices.

Listening through numbers

Every successful revitalization effort starts with listening, and data is one of the ways we listen more carefully. Community surveys, environmental studies, housing assessments, and traffic counts uncover what residents already know: where needs are most urgent and where targeted investments can make the greatest difference. 

In South Memphis, this approach shaped some of the earliest neighborhood investments. Through the South Memphis Revitalization Action Plan (SoMeRAP), residents identified nutrition-related health concerns, including high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and limited access to fresh food, as a top priority. 

That insight became the starting point for decisions about where to invest first — and how to measure the success of those investments. 

Measuring more than outcomes

Once priorities are identified, the next question is whether solutions are actually meeting the need. Gathering data alongside residents builds trust and accountability, allowing communities to track progress together instead of from the top down.

For instance, through a partnership with the University of Memphis Department of Anthropology, The Works worked with researchers to evaluate the South Memphis Farmers Market over multiple seasons. The study examined who was shopping at the market, how they accessed food, how pricing compared to nearby stores, and whether the market influenced household food choices and health behaviors.

Researchers found that the market primarily served neighborhood residents, many of whom relied on SNAP benefits, and that shoppers overwhelmingly reported improved access to fresh produce, perceived cost savings, and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables over the market season.

Turning information into action

Collecting data is only half the work; real change happens when information becomes strategy. In South Memphis, studies by Health Department officials revealed that ZIP code 38106 has the lowest life expectancy in Shelby County — a disparity closely tied to diet and limited access to fresh food.

Building on that insight, the South Memphis Farmers Market expanded access to affordable, locally grown produce, while Cooking Works built on that foundation by helping residents develop the skills to prepare nutritious meals that support long-term health.

Data also shaped decisions beyond food access. In South Memphis, residents consistently identified the lack of safe, accessible green space as a barrier to health. Using community input from SoMeRAP and park equity analysis conducted in partnership with Trust for Public Land, The Works helped translate those priorities into action.

What began as a long-blighted vacant lot next to an apartment community became Renaissance Pocket Park. Today, the park serves as a daily-use space shaped by resident priorities, illustrating how data, trust, and follow-through can transform underused land into shared infrastructure for health.

Data at neighborhood scale: Klondike

Data-driven decision-making is most powerful when applied at the scale of an entire neighborhood. In Klondike, years of resident engagement, property analysis, and land-use data revealed that widespread vacancy, fragmented ownership, and decades of disinvestment were undermining long-term stability.

Over a two-year period, community meetings and on-the-ground assessments helped residents and partners define neighborhood priorities — preserving affordability, preventing displacement, and reinvesting in public infrastructure. That information guided the acquisition of more than 450 vacant lots and structures, including the historic transfer of tax-delinquent properties from the Shelby County Land Bank, creating the foundation for coordinated reinvestment.

That data also informed financial and policy tools designed to sustain progress. A Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district was established to ensure that future growth in property tax revenue is reinvested back into Klondike infrastructure and public spaces. At the same time, the creation of the Klondike Community Land Trust embedded long-term affordability and zero displacement into the neighborhood’s development strategy.

Together, these efforts show how data paired with community leadership can move beyond individual projects to reshape systems over time.

The power of shared knowledge

When communities own their data, they own their future. Transparent, accessible information helps residents advocate for change, hold institutions accountable, and celebrate success.

Memphis’s experience shows that equitable growth depends on both heart and evidence. That balance ensures priorities are set by those most impacted and progress is measured by what truly matters.

When used with integrity and collaboration, data both measures change and fuels it.