You've seen it. That hollow, ghostly gray outline of the United States on a dashboard where the data just... isn't. It’s the "no results found" of the geographic world. We call them us map empty states, and honestly, they are usually a total disaster for user experience.
Designers often treat them as an afterthought. They spend weeks obsessing over the color gradients of a "hot" sales map but forget what happens when a user filters for "Organic Kale Sales in 1922" and the map returns a big fat zero. It looks like a bug. It feels like the app is broken. But an empty state shouldn't be a dead end.
The Psychology of the Blank Map
When a user encounters a completely blank US map, their brain takes a split second to decide if your software is worth their time. If the map is just a wireframe, the immediate thought is: "Is it loading? Did I crash the site?"
This is where cognitive load kicks in. Nielsen Norman Group has talked extensively about how empty states are actually prime real estate for onboarding and education. Instead of just showing an empty border of the lower 48, you need to communicate why it's empty. Is it because the filters are too restrictive? Is it because the data sync is still pending?
Most us map empty states fail because they lack context. You're staring at a vacuum.
Why "No Data" is a Data Point
Think about it. In data visualization, the absence of something is often just as telling as the presence of it. If you’re a logistics manager looking at a map of fleet delays and the map is empty, that’s actually amazing news. It means everything is on time.
But if the map is just a gray blob, you don't feel relief. You feel anxious.
Good design uses the empty state to reinforce the positive. "Great news! No delays reported across the US right now." That is a world away from a standard "0 results found" label slapped over a skeletal map of the states.
Technical Hurdles with US Map Empty States
Implementing these isn't just about drawing a SVG of the US and calling it a day. You've got to deal with projection types. If your empty state uses a Mercator projection but your data-filled map uses Albers Equal Area, the "transition" between empty and full will jitter. It looks cheap.
Then there’s the Alaska and Hawaii problem.
Standard us map empty states often tuck Alaska and Hawaii into tiny boxes in the bottom left. If the map is empty, these boxes look like stray UI elements or accidental artifacts. If you’re building a responsive dashboard, those inset boxes often overlap with zoom controls or legends. It's a mess.
- Use a consistent projection (Albers is usually best for the US).
- Ensure the "empty" styling matches your brand's ghost-loading or skeleton-screen aesthetic.
- Keep the stroke weight of the state borders light—around 0.5px to 1px—so it doesn't look cluttered when empty.
Common Blunders People Make
The biggest mistake? Using a static image for the empty state.
I’ve seen developers use a PNG of a US map for the "no data" view and then switch to a D3.js or Leaflet map once the data loads. The colors don't match. The aspect ratio shifts. The user gets a jarring flash of content.
Another one: ignoring the "No Results" messaging. "No data available" is the "lorem ipsum" of the programming world. It’s lazy. If I'm searching for specific demographics in Montana and nothing shows up, tell me why. "We don't have census data for this specific age bracket in Montana yet." Specificity builds trust.
Designing for Different Use Cases
Not all empty states are created equal. A business intelligence tool needs a different vibe than a weather app.
The Onboarding State
This is the first time a user opens your app. They haven't uploaded a CSV. They haven't connected their API. The us map empty states here should be aspirational. Show a dimmed, "ghost" version of what the map could look like. Maybe have a "See Sample Data" button floating over the Midwest.
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The Filtered-to-Death State
This happens when a user gets too aggressive with their toggles. They want to see "Left-handed scuba divers in Kansas." There are none.
In this scenario, the map shouldn't just be empty; it should offer a way out. "It looks like your filters are too narrow. Try expanding your search to the Midwest region." This is functional UX. You're guiding the user back to the "happy path."
Performance and Accessibility
Let's talk about the DOM. If you’re rendering 50 individual <path> elements for a map that has no data, you’re wasting resources, especially on mobile. For a true empty state, a single simplified path for the entire US outline is often enough.
Accessibility is also a huge blind spot. Screen readers often skip over empty maps. If the map is a crucial part of the interface, the us map empty states should have an aria-label or a hidden description tag that says something like, "Map of the United States. Currently showing no data points based on your selection."
Don't leave your vision-impaired users guessing why the page suddenly got quiet.
Beyond the Gray Outline
Some of the best designs I've seen recently don't use a map at all for the empty state.
Wait, what?
If the data is empty, sometimes a map is the wrong visualization. Maybe a simple, well-written sentence or a friendly illustration is better. However, if the map is a "permanent" fixture of the dashboard layout, you have to keep it. In that case, try using a subtle pattern fill or a "skeleton" animation.
Skeleton screens are those shimmering gray shapes you see on Facebook or LinkedIn while the feed loads. Applying that same shimmering effect to the us map empty states tells the user, "We are looking for your data, hang tight," rather than "There is nothing here and there never will be."
Actionable Steps for Your Next Project
If you are tasked with building or designing a map-heavy interface, do not leave the empty state until the last minute. It's the most common "unhappy path" your users will take.
- Audit your filters: Check every possible combination of filters in your app. Find the ones that return zero results and look at that map. Is it ugly? Fix it.
- Match your projections: Ensure your empty SVG map uses the exact same coordinate system and projection as your data-driven map to prevent "jumping."
- Write better copy: Replace "No Data" with something contextual. Use the user's search terms in the message.
- Handle the Insets: Make sure Alaska and Hawaii are treated as part of the empty state, not just ignored until they have data points.
- Test on Mobile: A giant empty map takes up a lot of vertical real estate on a phone. Consider collapsing the map view if it’s empty to bring the "suggested actions" higher up the screen.
Stop treating your empty states like a failure of the system. Treat them as an opportunity to talk to your user when they are most likely to be frustrated. A well-designed map empty state isn't just a placeholder; it's a signpost.
Start by simplifying your SVG paths. Remove unnecessary detail like small islands or complex coastal inlets for the empty version to keep the file size microscopic. Then, layer in a "Reset Filters" button directly into the center of the map—usually over Nebraska or Kansas—where it’s most visible. This turns a "no results" error into a one-click fix for the user.