A bivariate Wurman Dot approach to mapping job density and commuting inflows

Abstract

Commuting to work is a key form of everyday mobility. This study introduces a bivariate Wurman Dot method to visualise the relationship between commuting inflows and the Job Density Index (JDI) in Slovakia. Using 2021 Population and Housing Census data and a hexagonal grid, both indicators are visualised through a combination of symbol size and a bivariate colour scheme. The method reduces biases typical of choropleth and proportional-symbol maps by minimising shape heterogeneity, preventing symbol overlap, and enabling joint interpretation of absolute and relative labour-market indicators. The resulting visualisation reveals the hierarchy of employment centres, peripheral labour markets, and spatial mismatches between labour demand and commuting intensity, demonstrating the analytical value of the approach.

Keywords

commuting spatial visualisation Wurman Dots GIS Slovakia

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