Find the centroid of polygons using the Calculate Geometry Attributes tool in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

Some tools, such as the Choose Best Facility tool, require point feature classes as inputs. For example, when using the Choose Best Facility tool to find the best site for a park and the feature layer of available land parcels contain only polygons, the centroid of the polygons can be used as the input point feature class. ArcGIS Pro provides the capability to find the centroid of a polygon feature class within the attribute table of the polygon using the Calculate Geometry Attributes tool.

Note:
Alternatively, use the Feature to Point tool available with an ArcGIS Pro Advanced license.

Procedure

To find the centroid of polygons using the Calculate Geometry Attributes tool, follow these steps:

1. Open the attribute table of the polygon feature class in the Contents pane; right-click the layer name and click Attribute Table.
2. Create two new fields with the data type Double.
   1. Click Add Field in the attribute table.
   2. Name the new field Longitude and change the data type to Double.
   3. Click Click here to add a new field and name the field Latitude.
   4. Change the data type to Double and click Save on the Field ribbon tab.
   5. Close the Fields View tab.

3. Right-click the Longitude or Latitude field header in the attribute table, and select Calculate Geometry to open the Calculate Geometry Attributes geoprocessing pane.
   1. Select Longitude from the drop-down list for Target Field.
   2. Select Centroid x-coordinate from the drop-down list for Property.
   3. Select Latitude from the drop-down list for Target Field.
   4. Select Centroid y-coordinate from the drop-down list for Property.
   5. Select Current Map [Map] from the drop-down list for Coordinate System.
   6. Click Run.

4. Export the attribute table to a new table.
   1. On the View ribbon tab, click Export Table in the Export group to open the Copy Rows geoprocessing pane.
   2. Select the polygon feature class with the Longitude and Latitude fields for Input Rows.
   3. Specify a name and location for the new table in the Output Table field.
   4. Click Run.

The new table is added to the Contents pane.

5. Display the centroid point feature class on the map.
   1. Right-click the new table in the Contents pane, and select Display XY Data to open the XY Table To Point geoprocessing pane.
   2. Specify a name and location for the new feature class in the Output Feature Class field.
   3. Select Longitude for X Field.
   4. Select Latitude for Y Field.
   5. Select Current Map [Map] from the drop-down list for Coordinate System.
   6. Click Run.

The centroid of the polygon feature class appears as shown in the image below.