24-Hour Population Distribution in Helsinki from Mobile Phone Data

A temporally dynamic population distribution dataset for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, at a 250m by 250m grid cell resolution. The data, created by researchers from the University of Helsinki and published in 2022, is based on aggregated mobile phone data from Finland's biggest mobile network operator. It provides three separate hourly population distribution datasets for regular workdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal urban dynamics based on 24-hour population variations.
• Conducting spatial accessibility analyses based on hourly population distributions.
• Supporting crisis management planning based on day-night population shifts.
• Examining differences in population patterns between workdays and weekends.

Strengths

• Data is validated against official population register and workplace registry data.
• Covers 13,231 statistical grid cells at a 250m resolution.
• Provides separate datasets for workdays, Saturdays, and Sundays with 24 hourly time slices.

Limitations

• Row count for the underlying data tables is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data is specific to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and may not generalize to other regions.

Provenance

Source

University of Helsinki researchers, based on aggregated mobile phone data from Finland's biggest mobile network operator.

Collection Method

Aggregated mobile phone data assigned to grid cells using a dasymetric interpolation method based on land cover, buildings, and a time use survey.

Time Range

The dataset represents an average workday, Saturday, and Sunday; the specific collection period for the source data is not stated.

Geography

Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland.