U.S. Census Data & Demography
A great place to begin research into U.S. Census Data is Baruch College Library's comprehensive guide to using U.S. Census Data.
Use the guide to learn about Census datasets "that can be used for socio-economic, demographic, and business analysis." From the guide you can also access current and historical U.S. Census data and see options for mapping data and zeroing in on neighborhood-level Census data.
Also see Baruch College's Demography Research Guide for help "finding sources for demographic theories and methods (articles and books) as well as materials (raw and refined data)."
U.S. Statistics - A Selection of Sources
- The Children & Family Data Archive"The C&F Data Archive hosts datasets about young children, their families and communities, and the programs that serve them. The C&F Data Archive hosts over 300 datasets. Data users have 24/7 access to downloadable data on children and families, with the ability to analyze selected datasets online. Users can also search and compare variables and peruse data-related publications."
- Data for Progress"Data for Progress is the think tank for the future of progressivism. ... We provide research, polling on left issues and analysis to support activists and advocacy groups, challenging conventional wisdom about the American public that lack empirical support."
- Data USAA comprehensive website and visualization engine of public US government data covering people, places, industries, skill sets, educational institutions and more.
- International Migration Research GuideConsult the GC's comprehensive International Migration research guide for data, statistics, and other information on U.S. and International migration.
- Measures for JusticeMFJ was founded in 2011 to develop a data-driven set of performance measures to assess and compare the criminal justice process from arrest to post-conviction on a county-by-county basis. The data set comprises measures that address three broad categories: Fiscal Responsibility, Fair Process, and Public Safety.
- National Centers for Environmental Information"NCEI maintains one of the most significant archives on Earth, with comprehensive oceanic, atmospheric, and geophysical data. We archive over 229 terabytes of data each month from over 130 observing platforms."
- National Center for Health Statistics (Centers for Disease Control)The NCHS collects, analyzes, and disseminates timely, relevant, and accurate health data and statistics.
- Pew Research CenterPew is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, and nonadvocacy fact tank that conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. They study U.S. politics and policy; journalism and media; internet, science and technology; religion and public life; Hispanic trends; global attitudes and trends; and U.S. social and demographic trends.
- Sourcebook of Criminal Justice StatisticsFull-text, with statistics, of the current Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics; with ongoing updates.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2013- (@ NYPL)Published since 1878, the SA is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the US. The Census Department terminated its collection of data for the Statistical Compendia program effective October 1, 2011 after losing Congressional funding. Beginning in 2012, ProQuest assumed responsibility for updating and maintaining the SA. This database incorporates editions from 1970 to the present. The database is available at all NYPL locations.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States, Earlier EditionsStatistical Abstracts from the 1870s to the 2010s along with Historical Statistics of the United States 1789-1957, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970, and several Statistical Abstract Supplements.
- Statistical Insight
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Includes indexing, abstracting, and full text of millions of statistical reports, publications, tables, and datasets on thousands of topics produced by U.S. federal agencies, state governments, private and academic organizations, and major intergovernmental organizations.
- STATS AmericaStates and counties in profile, plus side-by-side comparisons. A service of the Indiana Business Research Center at IU's Kelley School of Business. Includes thousands of data items from hundreds of data sets from dozens of federal and state sources, along with some commercial or private source data.
- State and Metropolitan Area Data BookThis data collection provides statistics gathered from a variety of federal agencies and national associations. Demographic, economic, and governmental data from both the federal government and private agencies are presented to enable multiarea comparisons as well as single-area profiles.
- United States Elections Project"[A]n information source for the United States electoral system. The mission of the project is to provide timely and accurate election statistics, electoral laws, research reports, and other useful information regarding the United States electoral system."
Selected Sources for Data
- Google Dataset SearchA new search tool from Google that "lets you find datasets wherever they’re hosted, whether it’s a publisher's site, a digital library, or an author's personal web page." Read more in Google's
blog post.
- D-PLACE
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The Database of Places, Language, Culture and Environment brings together cultural, linguistic, environmental and geographic information for over 1,400 human societies or cultural groups. The database is searchable by geographical area, language family, cultural features, or environmental variables. Users can compare cultural practices between societies and display results in a table, map, or linguistic tree.
- Open Knowledge International
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"A global non-profit organisation focused on realising open data’s value to society by helping civil society groups access and use data to take action on social problems."
- Roper iPoll (formerly Roper Center Archives)
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The largest collection of poll data anywhere—1935 to present, all U.S. polling firms, broad topical coverage of opinions and behavior on social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs, and more. International and U.S. datasets available for immediate download. Our membership includes RoperiPOLL, RoperExpress and RoperExplorer.
- Tweet ID DatasetsA catalog of tweet identifier datasets that are publicly available on the web.
- 2023: The Year in Visual Stories and Graphics, New York TimesData visualizations, videos, maps, and graphics on a wide range of topics, including science, natural disasters, medicine, politics, architecture, entertainment, and more. Includes links to visual stories from previous years.
Data Research Guides at the GC
Consult the following GC guides for tips on finding and using data in your research:
New York City and State Data and Statistics
- NYCdata
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Demographic, political, financial, and cultural information about New York City from Baruch College’s Weissman Center for International Business. Includes links to data sources.
- New York City Open DataExplore, export, and crunch open data related to New York City. Datasets are searchable or browsable by Agency, Category (Business, Education, Environment, etc.), Recently Published, and Popular datasets.
- New York State Open Data"Browse and download over 1,600 New York State data resources on topics ranging from farmers' markets to solar photovoltaic projects to MTA turnstile usage."
- NYC Planning Dept.Data portal that includes the Population Division, which "is responsible for the compilation, analysis, and dissemination of census and related federal, state, and local data for city agencies, local communities, and the media." The site also links to NYC Economic data, Open Data, and Maps & Geography.
- Infoshare
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Population statistics, immigration trends, socio-economic indicators, birth and death data, hospitalizations, local trade data, and other demographic information about New York City drawn from city, state, and federal sources. Profile or compare areas across the city and state, or use the raw data to create customized tables. - Social Explorer
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Over 500,000 data indicators including the latest demographic and socio-economic data; historical demographic data from 1790 to the present; the American Community Survey 1-, 3-, and 5-year estimates; Market Profile Data; Economic Indicators; change over time data from 1970 to present; U.S. data on agriculture, the environment, Black Lives Matter protests, schools, crime, health, population estimates, business patterns, elections, and other topics; Canadian Census; U.K. Census; European Statistics Data; and World Development Indicators.
International Statistics
- ASEANStatsFrom the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
- Europa World Year BookLatest edition available at NYPL's Science, Industry & Business Library (Call Number: *R-SIBL JN1.E85) and Schwarzman Building.
- European Union Statistics & Opinion PollsEurostat is the statistical office of the European Union with a mission to provide high quality statistics and data on Europe.
- Gender Equality Data and StatisticsGenderStats (from the World Bank) is an electronic database of gender statistics and indicators designed with user-friendly, menu-driven features. It offers statistical and other data in modules on several subjects. The data in each module is presented in ready-to-use format. Users have the option of saving the country views in Excel (or another spreadsheet software) to customize reports.
- International Migration Research GuideConsult the GC's comprehensive International Migration research guide for data, statistics, and other information on U.S. and International migration.
- International Monetary FundStatistics and data on countries of the world.
- The International Tree-Ring Data Bank"The International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) is the world's largest public archive of tree ring data, managed by NCEI's Paleoclimatology Team and the World Data System for Paleoclimatology. ... The ITRDB includes raw ring width, wood density, and isotope measurements, plus site growth index chronologies. Over 4,000 sites on six continents are included." Read more in the New York Times: "Chronicles of the Rings: What Trees Tell Us."
- NatureServe"For nearly 50 years, NatureServe has been the authoritative source for biodiversity data throughout North America. We work with 60+ network organizations and 1,000+ conservation scientists to collect, analyze, and deliver biodiversity knowledge that informs conversation action."
- North Korean Economy WatchNews and analysis of the North Korean economy from a researcher at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
- Organisation for Economic Development and CooperationThe OECD promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. They collect and analyze a wide range of data and publish regular outlooks, annual overviews, and comparative statistics.
- SIPRI - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute"SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public."
- Statistical Insight
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Includes indexing, abstracting, and full text of millions of statistical reports, publications, tables, and datasets on thousands of topics produced by U.S. federal agencies, state governments, private and academic organizations, and major intergovernmental organizations.
- United Nations Data"A World of Data" from 34 databases and 6 million records. Also includes links to individual country statistics sites.
- The World Bank - Countries & Economies DataFind data and statistics by Country, Topic, or Indicators. Browse and search the Data Catalog and Microdata.
Reference Guide to Data Sources
The Reference Guide to Data Sources by Julia Bauder (ALA Editions, 2014) is a valuable reference tool for finding major and minor U.S. and world sources of data on virtually any subject.
Topics include Agriculture and Food, Climate, Crime, Earth Sciences, Economics, Education, Energy, Labor, Real Estate, Trade and Tariffs, Health and Health Care, Political Science, Elections, War and Peace, Public Opinion Surveys, Transportation, People, and more.
Geographic Information Systems
If you need to visualize and organize geographic data, the Baruch College Library's Geospatial Data Librarian has an excellent research guide that will help you get started: Geographic Information Systems Research Guide.
Note that links to any subscription resources will require Baruch Library Network Credentials. GC-affiliated researchers should search for those sources through the GC Library.