Prior release — February 2026

This article provides information about the updates made to Esri Demographics and ArcGIS Places data in February 2026.

Standard demographics

In February 2026, Esri made the following changes to the standard demographics datasets for Eastern and Western Europe, sourced from data supplied by Michael Bauer Research GmbH. The most notable changes were the addition of NUTS geography levels and an update to the Educational Attainment variables.

  • For all datasets, the vintage was updated to 2025 (2024 for Unemployed Population).
  • For all datasets, Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) geography levels were added. NUTS geographic boundaries are a hierarchical system of regional divisions relevant to the European Union (EU) member states, EU candidate countries, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). They were created by Eurostat to align regional statistics and to enable comparative analysis and research. There are three hierarchical NUTS levels that range in size from major socioeconomic regions (NUTS 1) to smaller diagnostic areas (NUTS 3). While they often mimic regional boundaries, NUTS geography levels are a distinct, separate geographic hierarchy.
  • For countries or regions that include Educational Attainment data, there was a significant update. Recently, Esri's standard demographics Education variables had been updated to use the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels of educational attainment. These provide a useful basis to compare educational attainment between most regions. However, it was determined that these were missing some regional nuances. With the February 2026 release, the Educational Attainment variables were divided into two categories: Standardized Educational Attainment, which uses the ISCED education levels, and Educational Attainment, which provides per-country, local educational attainment levels.

    This update to the Educational Attainment variables affects the following countries: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus (Greek part), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova (without Transnistria), Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom.

Note:

For countries or regions that include Consumer Spending data, Esri redefined the Consumer Spending variables CS13-CS16 and the related definitions and subcategories. While some definitions may appear unchanged, the types of expenditures included in the variable have been updated. Because of this change, a comparison with the previous release is not possible. This change to the Consumer Spending variables affects the same countries listed above for the Educational Attainment update, with the addition of Switzerland.

The following variables were updated:

Previous variablePrevious definitionUpdated variableUpdated definition

CS13_CY Electronics & IT: Total

Consumer Electronics & Photo/IT Equipment Expenditures: Total

CS13_CY Electronics & IT: Total

Consumer Electronics & IT/Communication Equipment Expenditures: Total

CS13PRM_CY Electronics & IT: Per Mill

Consumer Electronics & Photo/IT Equipment Expenditures: Per Mill

CS13PRM_CY Electronics & IT: Per Mill

Consumer Electronics & IT/Communication Equipment Expenditures: Per Mill

CSPC13_CY Electronics & IT: Per Capita

Consumer Electronics & Photo/IT Equipment Expenditures: Per Capita

CSPC13_CY Electronics & IT: Per Capita

Consumer Electronics & IT/Communication Equipment Expenditures: Per Capita

CS13IDX_CY Electronics & IT: Index

Consumer Electronics & Photo/IT Equipment Expenditures: Index

CS13IDX_CY Electronics & IT: Index

Consumer Electronics & IT/Communication Equipment Expenditures: Index

CS14_CY Recreation Durables: Total

Recreation & Culture Durable Expenditures: Total

CS14_CY Toys & Sports: Total

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, & Other Recreation Durables: Total

CS14PRM_CY Recreation Durables: Per Mill

Recreation & Culture Durable Expenditures: Per Mill

CS14PRM_CY Toys & Sports: Per Mill

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, & Other Recreation Durables: Per Mill

CSPC14_CY Recreation Durables: Per Capita

Recreation & Culture Durable Expenditures: Per Capita

CSPC14_CY Toys & Sports: Per Capita

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, & Other Recreation Durables: Per Capita

CS14IDX_CY Recreation Durables: Index

Recreation & Culture Durable Expenditures: Index

CS14IDX_CY Toys & Sports: Index

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, & Other Recreation Durables: Index

CS15_CY Toys/Sports/Pets: Total

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, Garden, & Pets Expenditures: Total

CS15_CY Garden/Pets: Total

Garden Products & Pet Demand: Total

CS15PRM_CY Toys/Sports/Pets: Per Mill

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, Garden, & Pets Expenditures: Per Mill

CS15PRM_CY Garden/Pets: Per Mill

Garden Products & Pet Demand: Per Mill

CSPC15_CY Toys/Sports/Pets: Per Capita

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, Garden, & Pets Expenditures: Per Capita

CSPC15_CY Garden/Pets: Per Capita

Garden Products & Pet Demand: Per Capita

CS15IDX_CY Toys/Sports/Pets: Index

Toys, Games, Hobby, Sports, Garden, & Pets Expenditures: Index

CS15IDX_CY Garden/Pets: Index

Garden Products & Pet Demand: Index

CS16_CY Recreational Services: Total

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Total

CS16_CY Recreational Services: Total

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Total

CS16PRM_CY Recreational Services: Per Mill

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Per Mill

CS16PRM_CY Recreational Services: Per Mill

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Per Mill

CSPC16_CY Recreational Services: Per Capita

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Per Capita

CSPC16_CY Recreational Services: Per Capita

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Per Capita

CS16IDX_CY Recreational Services: Index

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Index

CS16IDX_CY Recreational Services: Index

Recreational & Cultural Service Expenditures: Index

Eastern Europe

Esri updated the standard demographics datasets for the following Eastern European countries or regions: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova (without Transnistria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

In addition to the changes listed at the top of this section, the updates described below were made. See each country or region topic for more information.

Country or RegionChanged content

Albania

Czech Republic

Local geography name changes:

  • From Orp to Obce s Rozšířenou Působností.
  • From Parts of Basic Settlement Change Units to Základní Sídelní Jednotky Díl.

Estonia

Local geography name change from Omavalitsuste to Omavalitsused.

Hungary

Local geography name change from Megyék to Vármegyék.

Latvia

Added Households by Type attributes.

Lithuania

Added Households by Type attributes.

Moldova (without Transnistria)

Added Educational Attainment and Marital Status attributes.

Montenegro

Added Households by Type attributes.

Poland

Local geography name change from Gminy/Miasta to Gminy i Miasta.

Russia

Local geography name changes:

  • From Federal Districts to Federalnye Okruga | федеральные округа.
  • From Federal Subjects to Subyekty Federatsii | субъекты федерации.

Slovakia

Removed Households by Type attributes (vintage 2024).

Western Europe

Esri updated the standard demographics datasets for the following Western European countries or regions: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (Greek part), Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom.

In addition to the changes listed at the top of this section, the updates described below were made. See each country or region topic for more information.

Country or RegionChanged content

Andorra

France

  • The settlement points were updated from the July 2023 INSEE (Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques or The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) 75-meter population grid data to the July 2025 INSEE 75-meter population grid data.
  • Local geography name change from IRIS to Ilots Regroupés pour l'Information Statistique.

Germany

The settlement points were updated from the Nexiga 2024 residential building centroids to the Nexiga 2025 residential building centroids.

Iceland

Added Marital Status attributes.

Ireland

Local geography name change from Counties Cities to Administrative Counties.

Italy

Local geography name change from Census Areas to Sezioni di Censimento.

Liechtenstein

The settlement points were updated from the November 2022 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints to the October 2023 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints.

Luxembourg

  • The settlement points were updated from the November 2022 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints to the 2023 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints.
  • Added Educational Attainment, Households by Type, and Marital Status attributes.

Malta

  • Local geography name changes:
    • From Regions to Reġjuni.
    • From Districts to Distretti.
    • From Local Councils to Kunsilli Lokali.
  • Added Marital Status attributes.

Netherlands

Local geography name change from COROP Regions to COROP Gebieden.

Norway

The settlement points were updated from the November 2022 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints to the 2023 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints, Microsoft Global ML Building Footprints, and the European Commission Global Human Settlement Layer.

Portugal

Local geography name changes:

  • From Census Sections to Secções Estatísticas.
  • From Census Subsections to Subsecções Estatísticas.

Spain

  • The settlement points were updated from the 2022 Building and Parcel centroids from the Dirección General del Catastro to the 2025 Building and Parcel centroids.
  • Local geography name change from Census-Sections to Secciones Censales.

Sweden

The settlement points were updated from the November 2022 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints to the 2023 OpenStreetMap Building Footprints.

Türkiye

Advanced demographics

The February 2026 release included updates to the advanced demographics datasets for Canada, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Thailand, and the United States.

Canada

For ArcGIS Places - Canada, Esri updated the Business Locations and Points of Interest Canadian datasets. Refer to ArcGIS Places for more information.

Germany

Esri made the following updates to the advanced demographics dataset for Germany:

  • Release date, February 2026; the vintage was updated to 2025 (previously 2024).
  • The settlement points were updated from the Nexiga 2024 residential building centroids to the Nexiga 2025 residential building centroids.
  • Total Population Projection Year 2040, Population Density per Square Kilometer, Aggregate Cold Rent m² [€], and Average Cold Rent m² [€] attributes were added to this dataset. Cold rent is the cost of rent without utility payments per square meter.
  • The Total Population Projection Year 2025 attribute was removed from the dataset.
  • Some minor adjustments were made to improve how the data is organized, including updated field category names and data sequences.

Japan

Esri made the following updates to the advanced demographics dataset for Japan:

  • Release date February 2026; the dataset vintage covers the years 2026, 2025, 2021, 2020, 2015, and 2014 and also includes forecasts and 5-year growth rates for the years 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050.
  • Workers: All Industry, Female Workers: All Industry, Male Workers: All Industry, Workers: Public Service, Offices: All Industry, and Offices: Public Service attributes were added to this dataset.

Puerto Rico

Esri updated Puerto Rico's Points of Interest dataset. Refer to ArcGIS Places for more information.

Thailand

Esri updated the advanced demographics dataset for Thailand with a release date of February 2026, vintage 2024.

United States

Esri updated the following advanced demographics datasets for the United States:

ArcGIS Places

In February 2026, Esri made the changes described in the subsections below to ArcGIS Places data.

Data Axle

Esri made the following changes to the ArcGIS Places datasets for Canada and the United States sourced from data supplied by Data Axle:

  • Release date February 2026 using December 2025 data from Data Axle.
  • Two new attributes, Esri Category and Esri Category Description, were added to the datasets.
  • The Location Name attribute is now available for download.
  • Business Locations dataset—Esri made the following changes to the Business Locations dataset:
    • Canada Business Locations—993,864 records published (compared to 994,012 in the August 2025 dataset).
    • United States Business Locations—13,330,945 records published (compared to 13,321,729 in the August 2025 dataset).

Esri India

Esri updated the ArcGIS Places dataset for India in February 2026 using 2025 data sourced from Esri India.

Foursquare

Esri made the following changes to Esri's global ArcGIS Places data sourced from Open Source Places content supplied by Foursquare:

  • Release date February 2026 using September 2025 data from Foursquare.
  • Four new attributes, Esri Category, Esri Category Description, NAICS Code, and NAICS description, were added to the data.
  • Global dataset—37,311,699 records published (compared to 31,122,989 in the April 2025 dataset).
  • See Data notes in the Foursquare topic for other information about this data.

NOSTRA

Esri updated the ArcGIS Places dataset for Thailand in February 2026 using 2025 data sourced from NOSTRA through Esri Thailand.

SafeGraph

Esri made the following changes to the to the ArcGIS Places datasets for Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States sourced from data supplied by SafeGraph:

  • Release date February 2026 using November 2025 data from SafeGraph.
  • Three new attributes—Esri Category, Esri Category Description, and Open Hours—were added to the datasets.
  • Canada—1,170,263 records published (compared to 1,179,114 in the August 2025 dataset).
  • Puerto Rico—125,444 records published (compared to 135,456 in the August 2025 dataset).
  • United States—18,341,527 records published (compared to 18,805,027 in the August 2025 dataset).