How to best analyze a market

[Nick Fitzpatrick]

I am curious how everyone here analyzes a market when deciding where to purchase? Do you first look at the state as a whole and look at population, job growth, median or average income, % renters, property taxes ext. Or do you look directly as the micro climate that is the city or county area you would be investing in first. Also what resources are there out there to help with this, I have been just pouring over US Census Bureau Data and Googling and would love to hear how others here on BP are getting their information.