Data Classification Methods in
ArcGIS
When you classify your data, you can use one of many standard classification methods
provided in ArcGIS Pro, or you can manually define your own custom class ranges.
Classification methods are used for classifying numerical fields for graduated
symbology.
Manual interval
Use manual interval Manual Class to define your own classes, to manually add class
breaks and to set class ranges that are appropriate for the data. Alternatively, you can
start with one of the standard classifications and make adjustments as needed.
Defined interval
Use defined interval Defined Interval to specify an interval size to define a series of
classes with the same value range. For example, if the interval size is 75, each class
will span 75 units. The number of classes, based on the interval size and maximum
sample size, is determined automatically. The interval size must be small enough to fit
the minimum number of classes allowed, which is three.
Equal interval
Use equal interval Equal Interval to divide the range of attribute values into equal-sized
subranges. This allows you to specify the number of intervals, and the class breaks
based on the value range are automatically determined. For example, if you specify
three classes for a field whose values range from 0 to 300, three classes with ranges of
0–100, 101–200, and 201–300 are created.
Equal interval is best applied to familiar data ranges, such as percentages and
temperature. This method emphasizes the amount of an attribute value relative to other
values. For example, it shows that a shop is part of the group of shops that make up the
top one-third of all sales.
Quantile
In a quantile classification Quantile Class, each class contains an equal number of
features. A quantile classification is well suited to linearly distributed data. Quantile
assigns the same number of data values to each class. There are no empty classes or
classes with too few or too many values.
Because features are grouped in equal numbers in each class using quantile
classification, the resulting map can often be misleading. Similar features can be placed
in adjacent classes, or features with widely different values can be put in the same class.
You can minimize this distortion by increasing the number of classes.
Natural breaks (Jenks)
With natural breaks classification (Jenks) Natural Breaks Jenks, classes are based on
natural groupings inherent in the data. Class breaks are created in a way that best groups
similar values together and maximizes the differences between classes. The features
are divided into classes whose boundaries are set where there are relatively big
differences in the data values.
Natural breaks are data-specific classifications and not useful for comparing multiple
maps built from different underlying information.
This classification is based on the Jenks Natural Breaks algorithm. For further
information, see Univariate classification schemes in Geospatial Analysis—A
Comprehensive Guide, 6th edition; 2007–2018; de Smith, Goodchild, Longley.
Geometrical interval
The geometrical interval classification scheme Geometric Interval creates class breaks
based on class intervals that have a geometric series. The geometric coefficient in this
classifier can change once (to its inverse) to optimize the class ranges. The algorithm
creates geometric intervals by minimizing the sum of squares of the number of
elements in each class. This ensures that each class range has approximately the same
number of values in each class and that the change between intervals is fairly
consistent.
This algorithm was specifically designed to accommodate continuous data. It is a
compromise between the equal interval, natural breaks (Jenks), and quantile methods.
It creates a balance between highlighting changes in the middle values and the extreme
values, thereby producing a result that is visually appealing and cartographically
comprehensive.
One example for using the geometrical interval classification is a rainfall dataset in
which only 15 out of 100 weather stations (less than 50 percent) have recorded
precipitation, and the rest have no recorded precipitation, so their attribute values are
zero.
Standard deviation
The standard deviation classification method Standard Deviation shows you how much
a feature's attribute value varies from the mean. The mean and standard deviation are
calculated automatically. Class breaks are created with equal value ranges that are a
proportion of the standard deviation—usually at intervals of one, one-half, one-third,
or one-fourth—using mean values and the standard deviations from the mean.
