Statistics: Primary Sources

U.S. Government Sources

Here are several sites to help you find statistics that have been collected and compiled by the U.S. federal governent. Many more resources may be found by referring to the Government Information Resources Research Guide.
* American Factfinder (U.S. Census Bureau)
Easy to access data about individual communities, the economy, and society pulled from the 1990 Census, the American Community Survey, Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal Summary Files, and the 1997 Economic Census.
* Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Information on travel patterns, flight delays and on-time statistics, boating and road accidents, and much more.
* CenStats (U.S. Census Bureau)
Statistics sources accessible from this site include Building Permits, Census Tract Street Locator, County Business Patterns, International Trade Data, Occupation by Race and Sex, USA Counties, and Zip Business Patterns.
* FedStats: One Stop Shopping for Federal Statistics
Search for statistical information from more than 70 Federal agencies through this site; also includes MapStats, a clickable map for obtaining regional information in a variety of statistical categories.
* Federal Reserve Board: Statistics
Statistical releases and historical data from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.  Includes selected interest rates, foreign exchange rates, U.S. reserve assets, assets and liabilities of commercial banks in the U.S., money stock and debt measures, and consumer credit.
* Statistical Abstract of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau)
The online version of this valuable resource, a collection of statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. Selected international data also included.
International Sources

Here is a sampling of international and inter-governmental bodies which provide statistical data. Many more sites may be found by consulting OFFSTATS: Official Statistics on the Web. This is a listing of international Websites offering free and easily accessible social, economic and general data from official sources, especially those that provide both current data and time series. Indexed by country and by topic.
* Commodity Market Review
This annual report from the Food and Agriculture Organization deals with agricultural products.
* LABORSTA (International Labour Organization)
An international labor statistics database covering the years 1969-present, and topics such as employment, unemployment, wages, injuries, strikes and lockouts, and labor cost.
* UNESCO Statistical Yearbook
This site has some statistical information on socio-economic data, covering education, libraries, broadcasting, and the media.
* United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN)
Includes data and tables on world population and trends, as well as articles and official U.N. documents from the Commission on Population and Development.
* World Economic Outlook Database
Selected tables of economic and financial data for member countries of the International Monetary Fund. The tables are in comma-delimited format.
* World Health Organisation Statistical Information System
Selected international and national data sets on population, poverty, health, and mortality.
Other Sources

Statistical Resources on the Web from the University of Michigan Documents Center is an excellent guide. It has extensive links to statistical information on demographics, education, government finances, health, labor, politics, science, and 16 additional subject categories.

* County and City Data Book (University of Virginia)
Electronic versions of 1988 and 1994 editions of this U.S. Census Bureau publication, containing official statistics for all U.S. counties.  Create custom printouts and customized data subsets.
* Health and Retirement Study (University of Michigan)
* PollingReport
The results of the latest surveys (by polling organizations such as Gallup, Harris, and Princeton Survey Research Associates) on health care, taxation, welfare, education, environmental policy, and other major issues.
Stephanie Bartz, Forest Turner, and Ka-Neng Au, 27 January 2009