Searching for data for your research? Here is a handy list of data sets that might be of use.
New York City Data
NYC Open Data. Portal for NYC Open Data initiative.
New York City Community Health Surveys (NYC-CHS) Data on the health of New Yorkers, including neighborhood, borough, and citywide estimates on a broad range of chronic diseases and behavioral risk factors.
New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NYC HANES) is a community-based health survey. Two surveys have been conducted, one in 2004 and the most recent one in 2013-14. The first survey conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the second by the CUNY School of Public Health and DOHMH.
NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors priority health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and social problems among youth in New York City.
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry. Enrollment in the WTC Health Registry was voluntary for people who lived, worked or went to school in the area of the WTC disaster, or were involved in rescue and recovery efforts.
US Data
Data.gov. Portal for federal open data intiative.
Social Explorer. Interactive site that allows users to explore US Census data.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS). Massive microdata repository for US and international Census data.
National Historical Geographic Information System. Repository of GIS-compatible Census data going back to 1790.
General Social Survey. Portal to General Social Survey data from UC Berkeley. Tutorial on analyzing GSS data in R.
Bureau of Economic Analysis. Major US macroeconomic data portal.
Current Population Survey. Important source for data on US demographic and labor force statistics. This set is the basis for many major economic indicators, including the unemployment rate.
American Community Survey. Census Bureau survey on US communities. Tutorial on analyzing ACS data in R.
US Department of Housing and Urban Development Data. Data portal from HUD on US housing.
American Housing Survey. Major survey on US housing. Tutorial on analyzing AHS data in R.
Consumer Expenditures Survey. Survey on how Americans spend their money. Tutorial on analyzing CEX.
Survey of Consumer Finances. Data on US households’ personal finances. Tutorial on analyzing SCF.
American Time Use Survey. Data on how Americans spend their time. Tutorial on analyzing ATUS.
American National Election Studies. Systematic survey of US national elections. Tutorial on analyzing ANES in R.
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data on Americans’ health and nutrition. Tutorial on analyzing NHANES in R.
National Health Interview Survey. Data tracking Americans’ health status, healthcare access, and progress towards achieving national health policy objectives.
US Historical Income Taxes. Tables on historical US income tax rates.
USAID Demographic and Health Surveys Program. Demographic and health data for development studies.
US Department of Homeland Security Immigration Data. Data on immigration to USA.
National Center for Education Statistics. Repository for US-related education data.
International Data
World Bank Data Catalog. Data offered through the World Bank’s Open Data Initiative. Some recommended data sets:
– World Development Indicators. Recommended. Large compendium of economic and social data. Worldwide coverage. 1960 – recent. Can be downloaded directly in R through the package WDI.
– Data for Structural Economic Analysis. Portal to data that can be used to measure the structure of international economic exchange.
– Doing Business. Measures of business regulation and their enforcement.
– EdStats. Database covering topics related to education and learning.
– GenderStats. Database covering topics related to gender.
– Global Financial Development. Data on characteristics of countries’ financial systems.
– HealthStats. International data on health, nutrition, and population.
– Poverty and Equity Database. Data on poverty and inequality across countries.
– World Integrated Trade Solutions. Data on bilateral trade relations.
IMF Principal Global Indicators. Major data compendium on international economic topics from IMF.
IMF Global Housing Watch. Data on international cost of housing.
IMF International Financial Statistics. International database on financial topics.
Correlates of War Project. Data on states, international alliances, war capabilities, trade, and war.
Center for Systemic Peace. Data on governance, political stability, and conflict.
– INSCR Data Page. Portal to multiple data sets on governance, political stability, and conflict, including forcibly displaced populations, state failure, terrorist bombings, membership in international governmental organizations, democracy, coups d’etat, and state fragility.
– Polity IV Project. Data set charting countries’ level of democracy/autocracy since 1800s.
– Major Episodes of Political Violence, 1946 – 2014. Data table chronicling 324 incidences of armed conflict between 1945 and 2014. Authors claim table to be comprehensive.
LABORSTA. International Labor Organization data on labor conditions across world’s countries.
OECDstat. Comprehensive economic and social data covering OECD countries.
OECD Better Life Index. Data on international living standards.
Program for International Student Assessment. Data on students’ performance on international standardized aptitude test. Tutorial on analysis of PISA here.
UNU-WIDER World Income Inequality Database. Database on international income inequality.
World Database of Happiness. Data on happiness across world’s countries.
World Values Survey. Data on values across countries. Tutorial on analyzing WVS.
European Social Survey. Social data on European societies. Tutorial on analyzing ESS here.
UK Data Archive. Repository for UK-related data.
Migration Policy Institute Migration Data. Data on international migration.
UN Population Data. International population data.
China Education Panel Survey. Data on education in China.
Long-Run Historical Data
Global Prices and Incomes Database. Data on prices and incomes across centuries.
NBER Macrohistory Database. Long-run data on economic topics.
Wrigley and Schonfield Historical English Population. Table on historical English population from 1541.
Other Portals
ICPSR. Databank with sets on a wide range of topics.