11/22/21, 8:21 AM Median Center (Spatial Statistics)—ArcMap | Documentation

Median Center
ArcMap 10.8
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Summary
Identifies the location that minimizes overall Euclidean distance to the features in a dataset.

Learn more about how Median Center works

Illustration

Usage
While the Mean Center tool returns a point at the average X and average Y coordinate for all feature centroids, the Median Center
uses an iterative algorithm to find the point that minimizes Euclidean distance to all features in the dataset.

Both the Mean Center and Median Center are measures of central tendency. The algorithm for the Median Center tool is less
influenced by data outliers.

This tool requires projected data to accurately measure distances.

For line and polygon features, feature centroids are used in distance computations. For multipoints, polylines, or polygons with
multiple parts, the centroid is computed using the weighted mean center of all feature parts. The weighting for point features is 1,
for line features is length, and for polygon features is area.

The Case Field is used to group features for separate median center computations. When a case field is specified, the input
features are first grouped according to case field values, and then a median center is calculated for each group. The case field can
be of integer, date, or string type, and will appear as an attribute in the Output Feature Class. Records with NULL values for the
Case Field will be excluded from analysis.

The x and y values for the median center feature(s) are attributes in the output feature class. The values are stored in the fields
XCOORD and YCOORD.

The data median will be computed for all fields specified in the Attribute Field parameter.

Map layers can be used to define the Input Feature Class. When using a layer with a selection, only the selected features are
included in the analysis.

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Caution:
When using shapefiles, keep in mind that they cannot store null values. Tools or other procedures that create shapefiles
from nonshapefile inputs may store or interpret null values as zero. In some cases, nulls are stored as very large negative
values in shapefiles. This can lead to unexpected results. See Geoprocessing considerations for shapefile output for more
information.

Syntax
MedianCenter(Input_Feature_Class, Output_Feature_Class, {Weight_Field}, {Case_Field}, Attribute_Field)

Parameter Explanation Data Type

Feature
Input_Feature_Class A feature class for which the median center will be calculated.
Layer

A point feature class that will contain the features representing the median centers of the input Feature
Output_Feature_Class
feature class. Class

Weight_Field
The numeric field used to create a weighted median center. Field
(Optional)

Case_Field Field used to group features for separate median center calculations. The case field can be of
Field
(Optional) integer, date, or string type.

Attribute_Field
Numeric field(s) for which the data median value will be computed. Field
[Attribute_Field,...]

Code sample
MedianCenter Example (Python Window)

The following Python Window script demonstrates how to use the MedianCenter tool.

import arcpy

arcpy.env.workspace = r"C:\data"

arcpy.MedianCenter_stats("coffee_shops.shp", "coffee_MEDIANCENTER.shp", "NUM_EMP", "#", "#")

MedianCenter Example (Stand-alone Python script)

The following stand-alone Python script demonstrates how to use the MedianCenter tool.

# Measure geographic distribution characteristics of coffee house locations weighted by the number of employees

# Import system modules

import arcpy

# Local variables...

workspace = "C:/data"

input_FC = "coffee_shops.shp"

CF_output = "coffee_CENTRALFEATURE.shp"

MEAN_output = "coffee_MEANCENTER.shp"

MED_output = "coffee_MEDIANCENTER.shp"

weight_field = "NUM_EMP"

try:

# Set the workspace to avoid having to type out full path names

arcpy.env.workspace = workspace

# Process: Central Feature...

arcpy.CentralFeature_stats(input_FC, CF_output, "Euclidean Distance", weight_field, "#", "#")

# Process: Mean Center...

arcpy.MeanCenter_stats(input_FC, MEAN_output, weight_field, "#", "#")

# Process: Median Center...

arcpy.MedianCenter_stats(input_FC, MED_output, weight_field, "#", "#")

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except:

# If an error occurred when running the tool, print out the error message.

print(arcpy.GetMessages())

Environments
Output Coordinate System

Note:
Feature geometry is projected to the Output Coordinate System prior to analysis. All mathematical computations are
based on the Output Coordinate System spatial reference.

Geographic Transformations
Current Workspace
Scratch Workspace
Qualified Field Names
Output has M values
M Resolution
M Tolerance
Output has Z values
Default Output Z Value
Z Resolution
Z Tolerance
XY Resolution
XY Tolerance

Licensing information
Basic: Yes
Standard: Yes
Advanced: Yes

Related topics
An overview of the Measuring Geographic Distributions toolset
Using weights
Mean Center
Central Feature

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