Rural communities are often described as being “in the middle of nowhere,” but modern life tells a different story. Most Minnesotans live, work, shop, and recreate across a wide region that extends beyond local boundaries. Yet many community economic development planning efforts still rely on data tied to cities, counties, or other administrative borders.
This webinar explores how traditional data, combined with emerging mobile data such as Placer.ai, can help communities better understand regional movement patterns and connections.
On-demand webinar
Recorded: April 21, 2026
Shared resources
Presentation slides
Research
FAQ
Find aswers to frequently asked questions about mobile data.
Yes. Placer offers two views: a market view (county, city, or region) and a point of interest view for specific sites — narrowed using a geo-fence that can be drawn down to a building footprint. Reliable data requires a minimum number of visitors at a given location.
Location data comes from apps that users have authorized to share GPS coordinates. Placer purchases this anonymized data, then layers in census and other datasets to build demographic profiles — no individual is identified.
No. Placer's data depends on active location services. A powered-off device or one in airplane mode is not tracked. You can also opt out by denying location permissions to individual apps. Additionally, Placer excludes certain populations from its dataset — for example, location data from minors' devices is never included.
To distinguish visitor types, Placer applies trip-frequency rules: a device that makes repeated visits to the same destination within a set number of hours per month is classified as a commuter, not a visitor.
No. There are three situations to consider.
Sensitive locations: Placer AI restricts data for sensitive locations. Sensitive locations include places such as schools, school grounds, playgrounds, churches, and so forth. You may find the data is unavailable if the geography includes a sensitive location.
Location accuracy: Mobile analytics platforms rely on GPS coordinates. In places with low cellular service, accuracy can be a concern.
Recognition in the database: The Placer AI software identifies the location of a cell phone by its GPS coordinates. However, the software does not always know to equate the GPS location with a specific business or building. Placer generally has good information for chain locations (such as Kwik Trips or McDonalds), but in smaller, rural communities, it does not always know that X,Y coordinates translate into, for example, Schuette’s Sweet Treats.
When looking at a market, it is possible to have a very popular, locally-owned establishment that will not show up in the Placer results. This should be considered in interpreting the results. If this is a concern, Placer has a process for recognizing the business.
Start by reaching out to your regional Community Development Extension educator. They can help think through how you might use mobile data and connect you with the right resources. If you have a research-related question, our team can partner with you directly to provide analysis.
Presenters
Ben Winchester has been working both in and for small towns across the Midwest for around 30 years. He lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota with his wife and two children. Ben is trained as a rural sociologist and works in the Department of Community Development at University of Minnesota Extension.
He conducts applied research on economic, social, and demographic topics surrounding a theme of “rewriting the rural narrative” and received the Rural Renewal Research Prize in 2021 for this work.
DeeDee LeMier is an Extension educator specializing in community economics, agritourism, and sustainable tourism development in rural areas. DeeDee leverages mobile data and cross-sector partnerships to develop resources and workshops that serve the unique needs of highly seasonal tourism economies. Her work not only contributes to the economic vitality of small communities but also strengthens the bonds among residents and celebrates the distinctive local culture.
DeeDee holds a master of business administration degree and a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies from Hamline University.
Hope Williams is the new economic development director for the City of Detroit Lakes. She previously served as executive director of the Economic Alliance serving Wadena County, where she led initiatives focused on business startup, retention, and expansion, community development, and regional collaboration.
Hope holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master of business administration, bringing a strong blend of strategic, financial, and community-focused leadership to Detroit Lakes economic development efforts.
Reviewed in 2026