New in Google Earth: Advanced Data Layers to Power Your Professional Projects #onEarth

By Alaina Adams and Jenica Rawtani, Google Earth Product Managers

Whether you’re improving transportation in your community or deciding where to enhance greenspace, great decisions start with great data. We’re excited to announce that we’ve rolled out new capabilities in Google Earth for professionals, including advanced data layers and new data table functionality — purpose-built for industries that rely on rich, location-based insights and imagery.

From architecture and urban design to urban planning and renewable energy, these tools make it easier to analyze, visualize, and collaborate on geospatial data — all in the intuitive interface of Google Earth.

Rich data layers, built for professionals

Our new suite of professional data layers is designed to bring structured, actionable information directly into your workflows. These layers, currently available in the U.S., unlock deeper insights with just a few clicks — helping teams move from concept to planning faster than ever.

Let’s say you’re a real estate developer looking to identify the best location for a new community housing project. Using Google Earth’s advanced data layers, you can:

1. Evaluate multi-dwelling unit counts by census tract to understand the distribution of housing in a given community.
2. Overlay elevation contours to visualize the shape and steepness of terrain across different neighborhoods to determine where it might be physically possible to construct a project.
3. Analyze zoning at the parcel level to confirm land-use regulations and determine where residential development is permitted.

With layer filtering and adjustable opacity, it’s easy to pinpoint promising neighborhoods — such as flat areas, zoned for multi-dwelling units, with limited existing inventory.

To get more granular, you can use the new data table and filtering functionality to show only residential parcels. And soon, you’ll be able to sort across the entire dataset — not just what’s in your current view — and click any entry to instantly jump to its location on the map.

Evaluating land parcel zoning in Google Earth

By combining Google Earth’s advanced data layers with the power of the data table, you can move seamlessly from exploring an entire city to identifying a shortlist of high-potential sites — all with greater clarity and confidence.

Mitigating extreme heat events in cities

To see how these tools support climate resilience, imagine you’re an urban planner studying extreme heat. By combining several data layers, you can quickly identify communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. You can:

1. Overlay land surface temperature to visualize heat distribution across a city and identify hotspots.
2. Add tree canopy data to identify hotspots with limited natural shade.
3. Incorporate population data to see where those high-heat, low-shade areas overlap with dense communities.

By adjusting opacity and filtering across these layers, you can pinpoint neighborhoods that would benefit most from interventions like planting trees, expanding greenspace, or creating cooling centers. This is another clear example of how combining data layers leads to actionable insights for building more equitable and resilient cities.

Inspecting heat resilience data layers in Los Angeles

Try it today — build the future #onEarth

The new Google Earth plans will be Generally Available October 1, but you don’t have to wait to get started. These features are now available to explore free of charge during the Experimental phase. Go to Google Earth today.