CDC’s Tracking Network

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A young woman with open books and a laptop showing the CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network open on the desktop

See how CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network empowers people to use data and tools to take public health action and improve community health.

CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network) has been connecting people with vital public health information since 2009. CDC has made continual improvements to the Tracking Network’s data by developing tools to make it easier to understand and use data. The Tracking Network has also expanded the amount of timely data that can be used for responding to urgent health issues, such as emergency response work and environmental justice.

Data Tools for Public Health Action

The Tracking Network provides data in different formats to meet different users’ needs.

  • Data Dashboards: CDC’s Tracking Network has developed several interactive, topic-based data dashboards, which are designed to be a user-friendly approach to environmental health data. For example, CDC’s Environmental Justice (EJ) Dashboard is designed to make environmental justice data easier to understand, and more accessible to those with different levels of health and data literacy. When you enter your zip code into the EJ Dashboard, you can explore interactive infographics and maps to better understand environmental justice issues in your neighborhood. Explore more of Tracking’s Data Dashboards.
Two National Public Health Tracking Program Maps with different data compared side-by-side

You can visualize over 700 data measures on CDC’s Data Explorer in maps, charts, and tables.

  • Data Explorer: CDC’s Data Explorer is a dynamic web-based tool where you can visualize over 700 data measures on a variety of environmental and health topics. You can visualize data in maps, charts, and tables as well as view different data sets side-by-side. The Data Explorer is always being upgraded with new tools and features. For example, the new Environmental Justice Index (EJI) is available on the Data Explorer so you can visualize these data alongside other environmental health topics. The image to the right shows the EJI being visualized alongside demographic information (percent of population that identify as non-white, including Hispanic).

The Tracking Network also provides many tools and resources so people can use the available data for their own websites or analysis.

  • Application Program Interface (API): Use Tracking’s API to import data into different applications for your own analysis and app building.
National Public Health Tracking Map showing a drop-down menu in the top right with data visualization embed selected.

Use the Data Visualization Embed feature on CDC’s Data Explorer to add a custom data visualization to your website.

  • Data Visualization Embedding (DVE): Simply navigate to the Tracking Network’s Data Explorer, select the data you want, and click the “Go” button. When the visualization loads, click on the black and white export/embed icon and select “Data Visualization Embed.” The DVE feature produces a small snippet of code that you can copy and paste into the code for any website. The embedded visualizations maintain the same look and functionality of the Data Explorer, including zoom, hover text, and customizations (e.g., map layers, table sorting, charting options). DVE is available for all maps, tables, and charts generated by the Tracking Network.
  • Tracking GitHub: Explore resources for researchers and developers, including data methodologies and tools for analysis.

Data Modernization

CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program and the Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch are working together to enhance and expand environmental health data modernization efforts across the country. Learn more about the Data Modernization efforts of CDC’s Tracking Network.

State and Local Health: Tracking in Action

CDC's National Public Health Tracking Program Map

CDC funds 33 state and local tracking programs to build, maintain, and implement local tracking programs and data networks.

CDC funds 33 state and local tracking programs to build, maintain, and implement local tracking programs and data networks, to grow public health capacity and expertise in environmental health surveillance, and to modernize data systems. See how environmental public health tracking programs across the country are making a difference in the lives of individuals.

  • Success Stories: The Tracking Network’s data and activities have informed over 500 public health actions in communities across the country.
  • Tracking in Action: Watch videos showing how tracking programs are improving public health for their communities.
  • Faces of Tracking: Read stories from real people who have benefited from tracking or have used tracking data to propel public health change across the United States.

Because of the Tracking Program, communities can make informed decisions about allocating resources, planning interventions, and evaluating efforts to improve public health.

Keep Track of Us!

Follow us on X (@CDC_EPHTracking) and Facebook (@CDCEPHTracking) to stay up to date on Data Explorer features, new tools, national health trends, and more.

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