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This tutorial was expanded and adapted from Kerski, J.J.. (2009). Exploring Data Using Cartograms within ArcGIS Desktop.  Redlands, CA: ESRI.  Retrieved October 5, 2009, from ESRI GIS Education Community: http://blogs.esri.com/Info/blogs/gisedcom/archive/2009/10/16/exploring-data-using-cartograms-within-arcgis-desktop.aspx.

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Your dialog box should look like this:
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3. Click OK.

A Cartogram will be created in the new layer. Cartograms distort map shapes to emphasize specified values from underlying map data. In this case, shape of the U.S. map will be distorted to reflect the population density of each area, since you chose to use the POP07_SQMI value from the attributes of the 2007 Population by Counties Map Layer as your Value Field for analysis. Areas with greater population densities will be larger than those with smaller population densities. This new layer will not be Symbolized – meaning that the color scheme indicating population density has not been transferred from the 2007 Population by County Map Layer.

Symbolize the Counties_Cartogram Layer

1. Right click on the Counties_Cartogram Map Layer.  Choose Properties.  The Layer Properties dialog box will appear. 
2. Click the General Tab.  In the Layer name field, type 2007 Population Density Cartogram.  This will rename the Counties_Cartogram Map Layer.  Click Apply.
3. Click the Symbology tab.  In the Show: menu, choose Quantities → Graduated colors.  Use the default color ramp.
4. In the Fields area under Value:, choose POP07_SQMI.
5. Under Classification, click on the Classify button.  The Classification dialog box will appear. 
6. At the top, left hand side of the Classification dialog box, under Classification, change the number of Classes from 5 to 4.  Click OK.
7. Back in the Layer Properties →Symbology area, under Color Ramp, click on the Label title and choose Format Labels.
   
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8. In the Number Format dialog box under Rounding, change the Number of decimal places to 0.  Click Apply.
9. Click on the Labels tab.
10. Check the box next to Label features in this layer. 
11. Under Text String in the Label Field, choose the value STATE_NAME from the pull down men.
12. Click OK.
13. Turn off the 2007 Population by County layer by un-checking the box next to its title in the Table of Contents.
    The graphic clearly emphasizes the areas of greatest population density in the continental U.S., with the Mid-Atlantic region being the most densely populated.
    
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