Third Place Index

What is the Third Place Index?

Third places, coined by Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good place, are informal public gathering spots, cafes, parks, libraries, barbershops, where people come together for conversation and community. They exist outside home ("first place") and work ("second place"). These spaces are vital for social connection and belonging.

The Third Place Index scores every U.S. census tract from 0–100 based on access to these types of spaces. This score determined by point of interest data queried from OpenStreetMap for each location type.

Higher scores mean more places to connect and build community. Lower scores mean fewer options and more isolation.

View Full Methodology

What types of places are included?

Food & Drink

Cafes & Coffee Shops
Restaurants
Bars & Pubs

Recreation

Parks & Green Spaces
Community Centers
Sports Facilities

Cultural & Civic

Libraries
Museums & Galleries
Places of Worship

Services

Barbershops & Salons
Bookstores
Farmers Markets

Features

Feature

Does Social Infrastructure Track with Loneliness?

I compared social infrastructure access data from the Third Place Index to loneliness prevalence data from the CDC to find out. The answer depends on where you look.

Explore

Map Application

Explore the Third Place Index

Search your home address (or any U.S. address) to see your neighborhood's Third Place Index score and see how third place access varies in your area.

Launch Map

Article

The Geography of Isolation

In our post-pandemic world, we are growing more socially isolated. In this article, we look at what this means for families with children, and look deeper into the access to Third Places that these families have.

Read the Article

Connections

The Third Place Index is open data. Here is where it has gone.

Built with the data

Atlanta Loneliness Index nexspark.org · August 2026

Joins Third Place Index scores to CDC PLACES loneliness estimates for 1,006 census tracts across five metro Atlanta counties, finding a modest correlation (r = −0.23) and a nearly eight-point loneliness gap between Clayton and Cobb counties. The full joined dataset is free and public.

Coverage

Last call for third places? Not Ship · February 2026

Asks whether third places are actually disappearing or whether people are simply withdrawing from them, citing the Index's finding that the areas with the most kids have the fewest third places.
Why Atlanta needs third places — and how communities are building them The Atlanta Journal-Constitution · June 2026

Feature on how metro Atlanta communities are building third places, from teen-focused spaces in Clayton County to intentional community coffee shops. Uses Index scores to contrast Ponce City Market (better access than 96% of U.S. tracts) with Gresham Park (13%).
Digital Mapping of Houston Houston Matters, Houston Public Media · February 2026

Houston Matters segment on how digital maps reveal patterns across Greater Houston, including the Third Place Index and third-place access in Houston neighborhoods. (Full episode; the mapping conversation is one segment.)

Used the data in a story, a study, or a map? Email evan@evanoneil.studio and it will be added to this list.