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Data Sources

When writing papers that involve quantitative analysis, a challenging part of the project is finding the data to test your research question. Below is a list of websites you may wish to visit in your search for appropriate data. Many of these websites contain freely downloadable data, while others may require fees for accessing data. A few may be accessible only from the W&M domain.

Sources are divided into general data, followed by macrodata, and microdata. Microdata typically consist of information on individuals or firms, while macrodata are usually aggregated at some level, such as the nation or the world. National data are available for the U.S. and many other nations. It is a good idea to check with your instructor before proceeding with the actual data analysis on your specific project.

1. GENERAL

   • Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
   • (ICPSR) from University of Michigan
   • Statistical Resources on the Web from the University of Michigan
   • FedStats.gov, statistics from over 70 U.S. Federal Agencies
   • American Statistical Association
   • Statistical Agencies from EDIRC
   • Statistical Agencies around the World from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. MACRODATA

   1. U.S. Macrodata
      • The current Economic Report of the President from the President's Council of Economic Advisers.
      • Statistical Abstract of the United States from the U.S. Bureau of the Census
      • National Income and Product Accounts from the Bureau of Economic Analysis
      • Employment, Prices, Consumer Expenditures, Compensation, and Productivity from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
      • Federal Budget and Economic Projections from the Congressional Budget Office
      • FRED, an economics time series database, from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
      • Current and Historical Data from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
        Business Cycle Dates from the National Bureau of Economic Research
      • Macrohistory Database from the National Bureau of Economic Research
      • United States Historical Census Data Browser at the University of Virginia
      • Current and Historical Energy Statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy
      • EDGAR database on filings from the Securities and Exchange Commission
      • Economic and Financial Time Series from economagic.com/
      • Economic and Financial Time Series from freelunch.com
   2. World Macrodata
      • Open Education Database (OEDb)
      • Statistics Division at the United Nations
      • World Development Indicators from the World Bank
      • Penn World Tables from University of Pennsylvania
      • Foreign Trade Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau
      • Global Business Cycle Indicators from the Conference Board
      • World Fact Book from the Central Intelligence Agency

3. MICRODATA

   1. U.S. Microdata, Cross-Sectional
      • Integrated Public Use Microdata Series  (U.S. Decennial Census data from 1850-2000; American Community Survey Data from 2001 to 2006; Current Population Survey Data from 1962 to 2006), from University of Minnesota
      • Current Population Survey (CPS) from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
      • Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) from U.S. Bureau of the Census
      • Survey of Consumer Finances  from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
      • Data Ferret is a tool to extract datasets from federal agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Datasets available through the data ferret include the American Community Survey, American Housing Survey, Behavioral Risk-Factor Surveillance System, Consumer Expenditure Survey, Current Population Survey, County Business Patterns, Decennial Census of Population and Housing, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, Mortality-Underlying Cause-of-Death, and National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
      • General Social Survey  from NORC at the University of Chicago
      • Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT) from the National Science Foundation
   2. U.S. Microdata, Panel
      • National Longitudinal Surveys  (Youth-97 , Youth-79 , and others) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

        Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) from Institute of Social Research at University of Michigan

        Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) from Institute of Social Research at University of Michigan

   3. World Microdata
      • Bangladesh: Matlab Health and Socio-Economic Survey  from RAND  
      • Developing Countries: Living Standards Measurement Study from the World Bank
      • Developing Countries: Demographic and Health Surveys
      • Europe and North America: Generations and Gender Program from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNCE)
      • Germany: Socio-Economic Panel from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW)
      • Indonesia: Indonesia Family Life Survey from RAND
      • Malaysia: Malaysian Family Life Survey  from RAND
      • Russia: Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey from the Carolina Population Center
      • UK: British Household Panel Survey from the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex
      • World: Luxembourg Income Study
      • World: World Fertility Surveys at The Office of Population Research , Princeton University