Other
Federal statistical sources
Introduction
"Other" means non-Census
sources. Typically, these are statistics gathered
and made available by individual agencies and units. Bibliographic
control can be a
problem
since statistics may be widely scattered. Too, as more and more
statistics are available only on websites, the "here today and gone
tomorrow" problem is serious.
Quotes
"Ugh, there's that word: statistics.
Makes you shudder, doesn't it?
The very thought causes eyes to glaze over, terror to strike the heart,
and
an "Oh, no" feeling to settle over your entire body." ~ Paula Berinstein
"Today, a high school student
{with Internet access} has better access to
key statistics than top government officials had five years ago." ~
Sally
Katzen
"Politicians are said to use
statistics the way drunks use lampposts: for
support rather than illumination." ~ Christopher S. Wren
"Thirty years ago, dinosaurs
were cold-blooded, and now they're not. The
dinosaurs didn't change, folks, but the evidence and the interpretation
did.
So we tend not to be too cocky about the 'answers' we hand out to
people." ~ Anon.
We know enough to question our data. When we know that a zero result is
not
possible, we rethink or search strategy--did we misspell the word or
the
name? Are we looking in the wrong place? We question statistical data,
asking
"Sez who?" and "How do they know?" and "What was their method?" ~
Marylaine
Block
Cautions
"Statistics are numerical data that have been collected, organized,
and interpreted in some way. Collection, organization, and
interpretation [analysis] provide opportunities for error or
manipulation. While statistical data made
available by government agencies is usually
valid, the interpretations or the "so what" of that data is sometimes
suspect. For example, data on drug use has often been "interpreted" far
beyond what the data collection and sampling would make reasonable.
Governments often use statistics to make their particular positions
look
good. Without thoughtful examination of the research or data collection
design, it may be difficult to know how good the numbers really are and
what
they mean.
- Is it useful to consider
government statistical sources apart from non-governmental sources?
Many trade associations collect useful statistics on all aspects of our
lives. While this are often available only to members, sometimes they
can be found on websites.
- With much change afoot, how
many of these sources (below) will be available tomorrow? At the same
site? With the same title?
- How easy will it be for
ordinary users to identify, retrieve, and use statistical material on
and from the web, especially with large unsearchable PDF files?
- How will migration of data
sets to servers effect their coverage and the ability of users to
compare data over time?
Most statistics are gathered by
agencies as they go about their day to day
business. As Marylaine Block states in her First Rule of Information:
"Go
Where It Is." The more familiar that you are with which agencies do
what, the
easier it will be to find statistics. With a little practice and some
hands
on exploration, you should be able to link broader subjects with
particular
government agencies. Think about questions might include:
- Would a government agency
collect information on this subject?
- Would the government
collected information be as current or as comprehensive as that
collected elsewhere?
- Which level of government is
most likely to have the most and best information (from international
to foreign to national to state to local)
- Which branch of government
is most likely to deal with this topic?
- Can you identify likely
keywords that would be in the agency name, i.e environment, welfare,
police?
Be careful, however, since
statistics may be scattered and a topical
problem my involve more than one agency. For example, both the
Department of
Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration may gather statistics
on
food products.
Often, it is useful to begin
with a general collection of statistics such
as the Statistical Abstract .
You may find the data that you need, and
the sources
will lead you to other sources and agencies. The Statistical Abstract serves as an
index to many statistical sources.
On the web, good search terms
might include:
- Statistics
- Data
- Economic indicators
- Report
- Series
- News releases
- Study
- Table
- Graph
- Forecast
- Analysis
The user's needs and
familiarity with data are important since summary
statistics in newspapers and periodicals may be more useful than the
more
detailed statistics on the web or in hard copy government reports.
General
indexing and abstracting services may be all that is needed.
Users should be aware that
published statistics may be problematic
because:
- Data may not be comparable
over time or between sectors
- Data may not be current
enough to be useful
- Data may be incomplete
- Data may not be reliable or
valid (some foreign governments routinely puff up their "official"
statistics.
- Without thoughtful interpretation , the data may
lack
meaning. Interpretation may require additional searching or subject
knowledge.
- Some interpretations or conclusions are not supported by the data
Encourage users to:
- Check on the source of the data. Who was responsible and when was
the data collected?
- How was the data collected? Sampling?
- How current is the data? Note time lag in publication so that a
2004 table may contain 2001 data.
- If data is summarized, can you find and review the original data?
The best way to begin a statistical search is by identifying agencies
likely to collect the data desired. Statistical
Abstract is often good for this since it quickly leads to
relevant data and sources.
Overviews and Background
The United States government is the largest producer of statistics
in the world.
The Document
Center at the University of
Michigan maintains an excellent, comprehensive guide to statistical
sources on the
web. It's an excellent starting point for any statistical search.
The Council of Professional
Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS)
provides a variety of
useful
links.
The Inter-University
Consortium for Political and Social Research
(ICPSR) located within the
University of Michigan Institute for Social
Research holds considerable social science statistical data, including
some
notable Federal government data sets. You may wish to look at their website. UT is a member so
statistical data sets may be borrowed.
Traditional Sources
American Statistics Index
(ASI) (Doc Ref Z 7554 .U5A6)
- CIS [LexisNexis]
- Monthly with annual
cumulations
- Master guide to all
statistical publications of U.S. government
- All subjects and
formats
- Subject index and place, economic, and demographic indexes
- Abstracts volume provides
the titles and other bibliographic data plus brief description
- Most of the items indexed
are available in larger depository collections
- Uncertain how well it
covers statistics only available on the web
- Included in LexisNexis
Statistical
Business Statistics of the United
States [annual] (HD 105 .B87]
- Continues Business Statistics.
- Convenient, authoritative volume
County and City Extra: Annual Metro, City and County Data Book
[annual] (HA 203 .C68)
- Valued added version of the City
and Country Databook available on the web.
- Demographic data for
state, county, metro area, congressional district, and cities with
population of more than 25,000
FactSearch on FirstSearch
- Indexes statistics in format
similar to bibliographic indexes
- Statements and short text
about the statistics
- Provides complete citations
- Index of published tables of
statistical data
Gale Book of Averages (HA 155
.G34)
- Per capita statistics and
averages for the U.S., foreign countries, and selected cities
- Governmental and
nongovernmental sources
- Arranged by broad subjects
- Good subject index
Guide To U.S. Government Statistics [annual] (Z 7554.U5 G94)
- Brief descriptions for each statistical series produced by
federal government agencies
- Title, place, and subject indexes
Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics:
Employment, Earnings, Prices, Productivity, and Other Labor Data
[annual] (HD 8051 .A63)
Historical
Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 (HA
202 .B87 yr)
- Compiled from the annual Statistical
Abstract
- From the colonial period to 1970.
- Hard copy and on web
LexisNexis Statistical (Doc CD
HA 154 .S83)
- Formerly Statistical
Universe
- Includes
ASI, SRI, and Index
to International Statistics (IIS)
- Coverage for titles
published from 1989
- Comprehensive
- Easily used
State Metropolitan Area Databook.
- Information from the most recent population census
- Includes demographics, education, crime and justice, and
transportation
- Available in print[Bernan] or on web
State Profiles: the Population and Economy of each U.S. State
- Bernan publication
- Essential economic and demographic data
- Source notes
- Analysis
Statistical Abstract of the United States
- Print or on the web
- Includes governmental and non-governmental statistics
- Includes some international statistics
- Each data table includes the relevant source so that this can
function as an index
Statistical Portrait of the United States: Social Conditions and
Trends
- Bernan publication
- Compact collection of easily used statistics, charts, and analysis
Statistical Programs of the United States Government [annual]
- Overview of the federal government statistical agencies
- Budgets
- Programs
- Long range plans
Statistical Reference Index
(SRI) (Doc Ref Z 7554 .U5S83)
- CIS [LexisNexis]
- Business, financial and
social statistics
- Selective guide to U.S.
statistical publications from private organizations, trade
associations, commercial publishers, and state government
found in more than 1,000 sources. Detailed abstracts provided. Indexed
by
subjects, names, and categories as well as source and title.
- Organization similar to ASI
- Note the special importance
of the SRI fiche collection since some of the items indexed may
otherwise be unavailable. However, the fiche collections are expensive
and few libraries will hold them
- Included in LexisNexis
Statistical
Statistical Yearbook [United Nations]
- Includes official statistics from UN members, including the U.S.
- Updated via the Monthly
Bulletin of Statistics.
Statistics Source (Ref Z 7551
.S84)
- Annual
- Subject guide to data on
business, education, finance, industry, and social topics for U.S. and
abroad
- Government and
non-government statistics
- Key sources, including some
for unpublished data
Using Government Information Sources: Print and Electronic, 3ed. (Z
1223.Z7 S4 2001) by Jean L. Sears.
- Excellent place to begin
- Focus on the statistical search covers a variety of topic.
MetaSites
While search options are somewhat limited, this is a
useful site for finding federal government statistical information.
Don't
forget the advanced search options.
Google Uncle Sam
Excellent for statistical information that might be hidden on a
website. You may search by file type and keywords in URLs. Google
indexes PDF files which are common at federal government sites.
An excellent collection covering a wide variety of topics. Includes
many useful links.
Government information arranged by broad topics such as agriculture,
patents, and statistics.
Statistical Sites
FedStats
The Fedstats site
is the "gateway
to statistics from over 100 agencies." It is the best place
to begin a
statistical search. Created in 1997 by the Office of Management and
Budget. Notable features include links to statistics by topic,
statistics by
place, and a statistical reference shelf. Agencies are listed
alphabetically
with descriptions of their statistics and links, and a link to major
statistical sources. You may also search agencies by subject or keyword
to see
which
agencies collect data on a particular subject. There is also a link to
all
kid's pages on agency websites. An unusually useful site.
Economic Statistics Briefing
Room
The Economic
Statistics
Briefing Room provides
relatively easy access to current federal economic
statistics with an emphasis on employment, income, money, output,
prices,
production, and transportation. While a White House site, it appears to
be
relatively objective.
Social Statistics Briefing Room
The Social
Statistics
Briefing Room provides
relatively easy access to current federal social
statistics with an emphasis on crime, demography, education, and
health.
While a White House site, it appears to be reasonably objective.
STAT-USA
Stat-USA
, in the Commerce
Department, was intended to be the one stop place for Federal
government
statistics much as NTIS is intended to be the one stop place for
Federal
government technical and scientific information. It also has adopted
the same
funding model. It is self-funded, subscription-based, and must recover
the full costs of its
operation. As a market-driven organization, it will not gather,
compile, or
be involved in producing statistical products unlikely to sell well.
The
National Economic, Social, and Environmental Data Bank was killed
because it
did not sell well even though it was of considerable utility. At the
moment,
the agency's financial future is problematic.
STAT-USA produces and
distributes business, economic, and other
statistical products. It used to be the Office of Business Analysis
(OBA)
which created the Economic
Bulletin Board (EBB) in 1985 as
a dial-up
bulletin board to make current economic and business information
available to
the public as soon as possible. This was intended to be a comprehensive
source of economic news. In 1986, OBA began charging for use of the
Bulletin
Board under the assumption that business should help defray the costs
associated with its production/operation. In 1989, OBA created the
National Trade Data Bank (NTDB)
to bring together statistical
and
other information on international trade and export promotion in a low
cost,
digital form. Congress told it to charge reasonable fees and recapture
costs.
With free distribution to FDLP,
the NTDB quickly became the most used
CD-ROM product in depository libraries with 1,070 depositories
receiving the
monthly set of 250,000 documents in 2 CDs. However, it was somewhat
difficult
to use. The time required to produce the CD set meant that some data
was
dated when the CDs arrived in the library.
In 1994, STAT-USA
was created and
charged with developing electronic business, economic and trade
information
services. Congress appropriated a revolving one-time fund of $1.67
million
established to set up. The heart of the business was the information
found on
the NTDB and the EBB but now in one location on the WWW and more
current. The
site is particularly strong in data on foreign trade markets as seen in
the
"GLOBUS &NTDB" section of the WWW site. The other major section
of
STAT-USA is the "State of the Nation" which examines the current state
of the
U.S. economy. Both sections contain comprehensive collections of
documents
and publications. All publications may be searched by keyword, country,
or
product. Depository libraries were given single user free access and
many
depository libraries have done so. If one user at one workstation is a
problem, a site license must be purchased and that is expensive.
Depository
librarians are not happy about this situation. Much of the information
at
STAT-USA can be found at various government web sites or via FedStats.
Given the subscription fee and limited access, this source is likely to
be used only in special occasions.
Agency Websites
Another good list of U.S.
statistical agencies is
found
here
Increasingly, hard copy
statistical sources available via depository
libraries are replaced by data files and digital publications on an
agency website. In other cases, GPO hard copy volumes are replaced by
hard
copy
volumes issued by a commercial publisher such as Bernan. Bernan now
publishes
hard copy editions of several works no longer issued by the government
in that
format. The degree of value added varies from work to work.
Major advantages of web
publication include ease of access for those
connected and more current statistics since publication time lag is
much
reduced. Major liabilities include:
- Rapid change = here today
and gone tomorrow
- May be removed suddenly
because of executive branch concerns as with terrorism
- May be difficult to find the
right site and the right file
- Some data files and
publications are not complete
- Some data files and
publications are temporary
- Some data files and
publications are only available to subscribers or those with a need to
know
- Many files are in Adobe .PDF
format which are often slow to download, do not allow easy examination
of parts, and sometimes do not print properly
Major Federal Statistical
Agencies on the WWW
Standard Industrial
Classification
The Standard
Industrial Classification Manual (Ref
HA 40 .I6U63
1987)
- Revised every 10 - 15 years
- Numeric classification of
all manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries
- Many statistical sources use
SIC codes instead of industry name
- Standard
Industrial Classification SearchFind
- Search by keyword to gain
information on a 4 digit SIC code or enter a 4 digit code to get the
description
- Example, industry 3647 =
vehicular lighting equipment
- Poor job with new
industries, and services
- Replaced by the North
American Industry Classification System
This was a byproduct of the
North American Trade initiative. The purpose
was to produce a classification scheme more appropriate for
contemporary
industries and services and to yield comparable statistics for the
U.S.,
Canada, and Mexico. The statistical products using this classification
scheme
have been published. Retrospective statistical material will not likely
be
translated into the new scheme so SIC will remain important for those
doing
time series analysis.
NAICS
- Implemented in 1997,
except Mexico (1998)
- First product was the
1997 Economic Census with statistics available in early 1999
- Has 20 broad sectors versus 10
divisions in SIC
- Uses a 6 digit code vs.
4 digit SIC code
- Updated every 5 years
- Emphasis on new industries,
such as semiconductor machinery manufacturing, pet supply stores,
casinos, and bed and breakfast inns
- Emphasis on new sectors such
as information, health care, and professional, scientific, and
technical services
Here is an example of how the
classification works using 51 which
represents the information sector
- 513=broadcasting and
telecommunications=sub sector
- 5133=telecommunications=industry
group
- 51332=wireless
telecommunications carriers, except satellite
- 513321=paging transmission
service
There were breaks in some
time series because of changes in placement
and scope as well as new industries found in NAICS. Bridge tables are
available. Problems are likely with statistics for metro areas,
counties, or
cities and other sub-state data.
Statistics By Subject
Agriculture
Introductions
The University
of Wisconsin-Madison has created an excellent guide
to agricultural
economics sources
AgEcon Search
- University of Minnesota,
American Agricultural Economics Association, and ERS
- AgEcon website
- Searchable working paper
archive from several major universities
- Emphasis on applied aspects
Agricultural Research Service,
National Agricultural Library
- the
NRS website
- Database of 13,000 summaries
of research results (prepublication notices)
- Updated monthly
- Powerful searching
Agricultural Statistics (NASS)
(A 1.47:) (AG S 21 .S8)
- http://www.usda.gov/nass/pubs/agstats.htm
- Main has older copy
- The comprehensive
statistical reference, comparable to Statistical
Abstract for this subject area
- Area, yield, production,
export, value and other statistics on agricultural goods
- Primarily state level data
- Good indexing
- Use data/table sources to go
to original source
- Websites are more current,
but lack much historical material
- Good source of information
over time
Formerly produced by the Census
Bureau and the Department of Agriculture,
the Census is the responsibility of the National Agricultural
Statistics
Service. State level data is in the summary and the individual state
volumes.
State volumes include county level data. Some information available by
ZIP
code. The CD version includes county data for about half of the states
and
allows comparison with the earlier 1987 and 1982 censuses. Also
available via the NASS
website
.
Dairy Yearbook
Website
edition . The
Yearbook includes
production, supply, use of milk and manufactured
dairy products, wholesale and retail price indices, prices received by
farmers, production costs, and regional market share.
The website offers a variety of current data and analysis on
economic aspects of agriculture.
Economic Indicators of the
Farm Sector: National Financial Summary (AG a
93.45/3)
- Part of 4 reports issued
annually
- Current data on farm assets,
debts, net farm income and returns to operators
- Selected historical data,
1948-1988
Economic Indicators of the
Farm Sector: State Financial Summary (AG A
93.45/6)
- Annual
- State data for farm income
and balance sheets
- Tables correspond to the
Financial Summary above
- Note that these two volumes
are part of a several volume series
Economic Research Service
(ERS), Department of Agriculture
- ERS website
- ERS Briefing rooms provide
current collections of statistical data on a wide variety of topics
- Favorites = standard reports
updated such as barley production costs and returns
- Locate subject specialists
- Catalog of products and
services
- Access to county economic
types
- Some data products available
- Refined searching tools
- The economic and social
science research group
- Research, situation and
outlook analysis, development of economic and statistical indicators
- U.S. and some foreign
agriculture
- Production sources, demand
for commodities and food products, returns to producers and how well
needs of domestic and foreign consumers met
- 5 areas: commercial
agriculture, food and consumer economics, natural resources and the
environment, rural economy, and energy and new uses
Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO)
The FAO website.
This United Nations
specialized agency gathers and provides the most comprehensive
collection of
agricultural statistics for the world, including the U.S. Their
publications
are useful when there is interest in comparing agricultural data by
country.
Be careful since statistics are "official" or estimates and may not be
valid or reliable.
Major publications include:
- FAO
Production Yearbook [Food,
cereals, livestock, crops, land, machinery used. Some time series data.]
- FAO
Trade Yearbook [Export and
import of agricultural commodities]
- World
Food Survey [Food supply and
its impact, some focus on developing nations]
- FAO
Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics
[Updates above titles. Not always current]
- FAOSTAT [Most current source.
Includes agriculture, fisheries, forestry's, land-use, food-aid,
nutrition, trade, population and fertilizers/pesticides]
Farm Income Data:
A Historical
Perspective (A1.34:740)
- Time series on national,
regional, and state farm income statistics including expenses, farm
capital expenditures and government payments
- Data from 1910-1984
- Cross-sectional data for
1949-1984
- About twenty years of national data
- Includes consumer price
index information on some food product categories
- Some detailed information on
specific commodities
- Food prices, product safety,
nutrition, consumption patterns and marketing
- 3 issues per year
Foreign Agricultural Service
- FAS website
includes a searchable data base of U.S. food import and export data
from 1991-
- Collects, analyzes, and
disseminates information about global supply and demand, trade trends,
and market opportunities
- Good U.S. export sales
reports on agricultural commodities
- Very detailed data, usually
with five year trends
National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS)
Do visit the
NASS website
The major data collection
agency, works with state agriculture departments
- Publications
- Reports and data sets
- Estimates and reports on
production, supply, price
- Statistics on field crops,
fruits and vegetables, cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry
- Some weekly statistics
- Good links to state
agricultural statistical sources
- The monthly statistical
product is Agricultural
Statistics
- There are 10 specialized
agricultural information centers
- Wide variety of useful information
- The OPAC can be a useful tool for more difficult searches
- Crop profiles contain information of production, cultural
practice and pest/disease treatment
- Searchable by region, state, or region within some states.
- Reasonably current
statistics by state on a wide variety of topics, including finance and
exports
U.S. Crop Acreage and Yield
Maps
U.S.D.A. Economics and
Statistics System
- The most comprehensive and
current site for agricultural data
- USDA website
- Both ERS and NASS data as
well as the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB)
- Weekly, monthly, and
quarterly forecasts and estimates
- Contains nearly 300 reports
and data sets from USDA economic agencies
- Data sets are in spread
sheet format and include time-series that are updated yearly
- U.S. and
foreign/international agriculture
- Reports are text reports
with time-sensitive information
- Can search by title,
subject, agency or keyword
World-Wide-Web Virtual
Library: Agricultural Economics
- AGEcon website
- Starting point for the
agricultural/resource economist
- Reasonably comprehensive
Crime and Justice
An
excellent
Guide to Crime Statistics is available at Michigan State
.
Organized Crime: A Crime
Statistics Site
The
Organized Crime website provides useful, objective
information on Federal crime
statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
- The USDOJ website
- Good links to other sources
of crime and justice data
- Good descriptions of their
publications
- Gathers data, analyzes, and
interprets on all aspects of crime, victims of crime, criminal
offenders and operation of justice systems at all levels of government
- More than 24 data collection
series
- Issues bulletins, special
reports and technical reports
- Most publications are free
- Sponsors the National
Archival Research Project at Michigan
- BJS also sponsors the Drugs
and Crime Clearinghouse
- Major statistical series
- Lists new and forthcoming reports
- Describes data collection methods
- Race, education, marital
status, age at time of arrest for capital offense, methods of
execution, trends, and time between sentencing and execution
- Time series data
- Annual, but some time lag
Annual dealing with several
aspects of processing including numbers
prosecuted, convicted, incarcerated, sentenced, and under parole.
- Annual, but some time lag
- Probationers, parolees, jail
and prison inmates, release type, sentence length, escapes, probation
and parole violations, facility
Crime in the United States
- (alt. title Uniform Crime
Reports for the United States)
- Available on the FBI website
- Data from 17,000 law
enforcement agencies
- Data by nation, regions,
states, counties, cities, and towns
- Numbers and type of crime by
age, race, sex and place
- Crimes cleared, persons
arrested, law enforcement personnel, weapons used
- Cross-sectional and time
series data
Crime State Rankings YR: Crime
in the 50 United States
Published by
Morgan Quitno
Press, this title compares the states in 500
crime and justice areas. States are ranked in each table. A similar
publication, City Crime
Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America,
provides information on the 100 largest cities and nearly 300 metro
areas. Convenient, easily used volume.
Federal Justice Statistics
Resource Center (FJSRC)
- The FJSRC website
- Funded by the Bureau of
Justice Statistics and maintained by the Urban Institute
- Access to the Federal
Justice Statistics Program database
- Begin with the Data
Dictionary
- Data may be downloaded
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice
Statistics YR
- Sourcebook website
- THE compendium on crime
statistics with data from more than 100 sources presented in about 600
tables
- Some time lag in publication
- Public attitudes toward
crime, nature and distribution of crime, characteristics of those
arrested, judicial processing, and persons under correctional
supervision
- Includes an annotated list
of reference sources
- Much national data, but also
regions, states, and cities
- National data time series
- Data from over 100 public
and private sources with selected links
Transactional Records Access
Clearinghouse (TRAC)
- Issued by the FBI
- Detailed statistics on Crime in the U.S.
- Variety of variables including crime by place, sex, and race.
Economics
Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA), Economics and Statistics
Administration (ESA), Commerce Department
- BEA website
- The nation's accountant,
integrating and interpreting data to draw a reasonably complete picture
of the
U.S. economy
- Quantitative view of the
production, distribution, and use of the U.S. output (the gross
domestic product is the most known measure)
- A User's Guide to BEA
Information
- Estimates first appear in
news releases
- BEA hard copy reports are
distributed by GPO
- In the past, 6 series and
about 60 reports each year
- Gross Domestic Product
- Personal Income and Outlays
- Regional reports
- International reports
- Composite Indexes of
Leading, Coincident, and Lagging Indicators
Business Statistics of the
United States
- Biennial historical
supplement to the Survey of
Current Business
- Began in 1951 and now ceased
- Almost 2000 economic
variables, 1927-1991
- Excellent for time-series
data at national level on many economic subjects
- 1989 edition has 28 years of
data
- Use 1984 and 1979 editions
for earlier years
- Monthly or quarterly data
for series that appear in the S-pages of the Survey
- Discontinued by the BEA, but
some current business statistics available via Census Bureau's
Economics page
- Now published by Bernan
Press as an annual (Ref HC 101 .A13122 yr) which is well organized and
updates historical data
CPI Detailed Report (Doc HD
6983 .A234)
- Began as the Cost-of Living
Index and used by the Shipbuilding Labor Adjustment Board to create
fair wages for shipbuilders.
- Available from the BLS website
or the White House Economic Statistics Briefing Room website
- Monthly
- Prices for market basket of
211 goods and services found in about 85 major cities
- Measures average changes in
retail prices on a defined market basket of goods likely to be
purchased by ordinary people
- Food, shelter, fuels and
utilities, apparel and upkeep, transportation, medical care and
entertainment
- Relates current prices to a
base time period and index figures show how much prices
have changed since then
- Index has been revised
several times and is still somewhat controversial for over or under
counting inflation
- Used as economic indicator,
deflator, adjustor for wages
- Indexes for U.S., regions,
metro areas
- Note: does NOT include rural
consumers
County Business Patterns (Doc
HC 101 .A184)
- Available
at the UVA SS website
- Statistics for 1977-
- Statistics for industries by
2 digit SIC code for nation, states and counties
- National, state, and county
level data
- Includes sales, employment,
payroll, number of establishments
Current Industrial Reports
- Available
on the web
- Current reports on
particular industries, such as Flour Milling Products #M20A or flat
glass #MQ32A
Economic Bulletin Board (EBB)
- Originally available via
gopher
- Now on Stat-U.S.A via
subscription access or via depository library gateway
- 4000 files on various
economic, business, finance, and industry statistics
- The most comprehensive
collection of U.S. economic data available
- 1948-
- Monthly pamphlet
- Prepared by the Council of
Economic Advisors
- Good for graphic view of the
current state of the economy
- Charts, tables on basic
economic indicators
- Available via the Census
Bureau home page and White House Economics Statistics Briefing Room
since 1995
Economic Indicators Handbook
(Ref HC 103 .E26 1994)
This handbook, published by Gale, includes both
statistics and introductory material which
defines and and describes statistical conventions and information
sources.
- Excellent source for
time-series statistics on nation
- State of the U.S. economy
- Appendix B includes
statistics on income, employment and production plus. some important
A quick explanation for laypeople to
the most frequently cited economic
indicators.
INFORUM EconData (Maryland)
- The
INFORUM website
- Several hundred thousand
economic time series by a number of U.S. federal agencies
- Standard, easy to use format
- Free, downloadable
statistical software available
- 4 substantial data banks in 3
categories--national, state/local, and international
- Zipped files on accounts,
labor, price, business, and consumer finances
- Data is relative current and
is useful for those who wish to manipulate it
National Bureau of Economic
Research
- NBER website
- Not-for-profit private
nonpartisan research organization
- 300 research associates and
150 faculty research fellows
- Develop new statistical
measurements
- Estimate quantitative models
of economic behavior
- Assess effects of public
policies on the U.S. economy
- Substantial online data
archives, with 3500 monthly, quarterly or annual economic time-series
- Pre-WWI and interwar
economies
- Covers UK, France and
Germany besides U.S.
- Searchable database
- Likely that some U.S.
federal statistical series will end up here as the federal government
reduces its statistical activity
National Economic, Social, and
Environmental Data Bank (discontinued)
(Doc CD C1.88/2)
- Text and statistics on U.S.
economy, society, and environment
- Included in the full text of the Economic
Report of the President
National Income and Product
Accounts of the United States, 1929-82:
Statistical Tables (Doc C59.11/5)
- Time series data on many
aspects of the economy, including gross national product, personal
income, industry employment and profits, government receipts and
expenditures
National Income and Product
Accounts
- 1965-
- Historical supplement to the Survey of Current Business
- Data from 1929
- Annual, quarterly and
monthly data in time-series
- Recalculated every 5 years
- GNP, net national product,
national income, personal income, government receipts and expenditures,
savings and investment
- Available at the
University of Virginia website
Producer Price Indexes (PPI)
- 1891-
- PPI website
- Measures average changes in
selling prices received by producers for their output
- Emphasis on mining and
manufacturing
- 9750 indexes for specific
products, 3200 commodity prices and 500 indexes for outputs of service
sectors
- Normally about 3 months
behind
- Includes 3 months of index
data, change from previous month and a year ago
- Until 1978, known as Wholesale
Price Index
Regional Economic Information
System
- REIS website
- 1991-
- Information from 1969-
- Income and employment
estimates for 1969-94 for all counties, metro, areas and states
- Statistics, including
personal income, per capita personal income, earnings by SIC 1 digit,
employment by SIC 1 digit, regional economic profiles, farm income and
expenses
- T 22.35/4 Quarterly report
on personal and corporate tax returns
- Compiles into Statistics
of Income: Corporation Income Tax Returns and Statistics of
Income:
individual Tax Returns
- 1921-
- Monthly
- Estimates and analyses of
the U.S. economy
- Over 2000 statistical series
- Formerly comprehensive
source for economic indicators
- National, regional and
international perspective
- Quarterly estimates of
national income and product estimates
- S-pages contain 36 pages of
tables of economic indicators
- C-pages contain tables and
charts for over 270 time series
- IN 1995, the current
business statistics moved to the Economic Bulletin Board and the WWW
- Annual national income and
product account statistics in July issue
- In the past, supplemented by Business Statistics
- Supersedes Business
Conditions Digest [1968 - 1990]
- See also the University
of Colorado's Business Cycles Indicators website
United States Economy At a Glance
WWW Guide to Federal Economic
Indicators
Federal
Economic
Indicators website . The
information is also found in the Economic
Statistics Briefing Room.
Education
- Allows users to create customized tables from the Common Core of
Data
- National statistics on schools and school districts, students and
staff, and fiscal data
- Comprehensive tutorial should be read first
- Issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Information on careers by industry, including nature of the
industry, working conditions, training and advancement, earnings and
benefits, employment outlook and organizations able to provide more
information
- Covers 42 industries
- Excellent for career guidance
- NCES website
- Searchable
- Annual report to Congress
- Most notable measures (60)
of the condition and progress of education such as access,
participation and progress, achievement, attainment and curriculum,
economic and other outcomes, size, growth and output, climate,
classrooms, and diversity, human and financial resources
- Integrates issues from early
childhood education to postsecondary education
- Annual
- Primary resource publication
on education statistics
- 400 tables
- All educational levels for
U.S. and individual states
- Enrollment, number of
schools and colleges, number of teachers, finances, degrees earned,
income of graduates, vocational education, adult education, and
international education
- Some time-series tables
- Most data on national level
- Indicators from a variety of sources
- Snapshots of the U.S. educational system compared to that in
other countries
- Useful overview of all NCES
products released during the quarter
National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), Department of
Education
- NCES website
- Collects and analyzes data
on education in the U.S, and abroad
- Collects data from 57 state
education agencies for 83,400 public schools and 15,400 local school
districts
- Data available for district,
and state levels
- Revenues and expenditures at
the state level
- Library statistical surveys
for academic and public libraries
- Variety of issue oriented
surveys on topics such as reading and mathematics
- Quick Tables and Figures are
especially useful
- Major publications are Digest
of Education Statistics and the
annual Condition of Education with
59 indicators of the state of education in 6 main areas
- Issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
- What workers do on the job
- Working conditions
- Training and education needed
- Job prospects
- Excellent for career guidance
- Biennial
- Enrollment, high school
graduates, earned degrees, instructional staff, expenditures, and 10
years of projections
- Based on the 2000 Census
- Data on race and ethnicity variables.
- From the governmental census
and available via web
- Local government revenues
and expenditures for elementary and secondary education by school
district. Large files.
Energy
- Energy Information
Administration
- Statistics on production,
consumption, and trade
- Includes predictions for the
next decade based on different assumptions about technology,
productivity, economic growth, and prices
- Energy Information
Administration
- Time series data on
resources, production, consumption, prices, exports and imports
- Covers petroleum, coal,
wood, waste, solar, geothermal, natural gas plus some information on
electricity production, consumption and price
Coal Data: A Reference
- Reserves, production,
supply, consumption, exports and prices
- Includes some historical
series
- Kept current by the
Quarterly
Coal Report and Weekly
Coal Production
- National, division, and
state level
- Generation, fuel
consumption, fuel stocks, quantity of fuel, cost of fuel, sales and
retail prices
- Company and plant level data
- Compiled into the Electric
Power Annual
Energy Information
Administration (EIA), DOE
- EIA website
- Descriptions of products and
some data sets
- Energy production,
consumption, prices, resources and projections of supply and demand
- Coal, petroleum, natural
gas, nuclear fuel, solar energy, electric power
- National, state, and
international data
- Hard copy products
distributed by GPO
Historical Statistics of the
Electric Utility Industry Through 1970
- Edison Electric Institute
- Example of how trade
association produces statistical collections so government does less
- Another example would be the
EEI Statistical Yearbook of
the Electrical Industry
- Triennially
- Wood, natural gas,
electricity, fuel oil, kerosene and LPG
- Similar to the Annual
Energy Review but with global
focus
- EIA
website
- Major countries through 2020
- Review of last 20 years
- PDF, except for the on-line
preface
- Uncertain of current status
- Current statistical tables
- Volume and price data for
production, distribution, consumption, and interstate pipeline
activities
- Includes some producer
related data
- Compiled into the Natural
Gas Annual
- Sales, prices, volumes,
percentages of sales and first sales for consumption for 16 petrol
products
- Compiled into Petroleum
Marketing Annual
- Supply and disposition of
cured oil and petroleum products
- Compiled into Petroleum
Supply Annual
- Comprehensive assessment of
renewable energy sources
Environment
The University of Michigan
Documents Center has a good guide to Statistical
Resources on the Web: Environment .
Finance
- Wide variety of time series
data
- Statistics on banks,
security markets, U.S. government debt, gold, consumer credit, and some
international financial statistics
- Board of Governors, Federal
Reserve System
- Pre 1941 statistics
- Also see Banking
and Monetary Statistics, 1941-1970
The Beige Book
- Website
- Issued 8x per year
- Commentary on current
economic conditions by Federal Reserve
- Useful barometer of U.S.
economic performance
Bureau of the Public Debt
- Award winning
Bureau website
- Besides information on the
public debt, there is good information on savings bonds
- Current and historical
statistics
EDGAR (Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System)
- Issuers of publicly traded
securities must electronically file detailed reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Form Q
- Form K
- About 12 million documents
per year
- Early controversy about free
public access to this site, but now other unofficial free sites [some
may be better]
- This information is
also available on NEXIS and from other value-added information providers
- Available from 1994-
- SEC information never part
of the FLDP
FRASER (Federal Reserve
Archival System for Economic Research)
- Created by the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of
St. Louis
- Substantial collection of historical economic statistical
publications in PDF format
- Bank statistics 1896-1955
- Banking and monetary statistics 1914 1970
- Economic indicators
Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation
- FDIC website
- Staggering amount of
information on U.S. banking, bank by bank, and often by branch
- "Historical Statistics on
Banking" and "Statistics on Banking" are notable
- Note "Survey of Real Estate
Trends"
- Manages the U.S.
government's finances
- Detailed information on
currency, securities and the like
Created in 1913 to provide for
a safer and more flexible banking and
monetary system. The U.S. is divided into 12 regional service areas
each with
its own Federal Reserve Bank. Each Bank has some unique publications
and data
collections. All 12 banks have research departments and issue scholarly
and
quite objective publications. Research staff has high credentials, very
scholarly. Bank periodicals are indexed in ABI/Inform, Business
Periodicals
Index, and PAIS. The Federal
Reserve Bank
of Philadelphia issues a
biannual print index of all Federal Reserve
publications. Each Federal Reserve Bank has its own website and
provides
substantial statistical information on financial and economic
activity
within its region. The regional banks are located in:
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Dallas
- Kansas City (Center for the
Study of Rural America)
- Minneapolis
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Richmond
- San Francisco
- St. Louis
Three examples follow: FRED at
the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- Their website
- Daily/weekly U.S. financial
data
- Monthly monetary data
- Monthly interest rates
- Consumer price indexes,
producer price indexes and more
- Federal Reserve Board
Statistical releases
- Historical U.S. economic and
financial data and region
- Especially good for current
financial and economic statistics
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta:
- Their website
- Economic Data Sources for
the Southeast
- Manufacturing conditions
- Economic outlook
- Employment
- Links to a variety of
sources including many print ones both governmental and non
Federal
Reserve Bank of Boston
- New England Electronic
Economic Data Center
- Historical data from 1969 on
nearly 100 variables
Federal
Reserve Bulletin (Mnper HG 2401
.A5)
- 1915-
- Published by the Board
of Governors
- More statistics here than in
the other Federal Reserve periodicals
- Statistics based on bank and
industry reports, includes information from private industry
associations
- Statistics on money stock,
bank credit, commercial banking, financial markets
- Includes the Federal
Reserve's Index of Industrial Production
- Cumulates into the Annual
Statistical Digest
- Quarterly review and summary of selected FR research materials by
scholars and FR staff
- Useful for quick current awareness
Office of the Comptroller of
the Currency
- OCC website.
- Charters, regulates, and
supervises all national banks
Office of Thrift Supervision
(OTS)
- OTS website.
- Regulates federal and many
state chartered savings and loans
- Good statistical information
about these firms
National Credit Union
Administration
- NCUA website.
- Supervises and insures
federal credit unions and insures many state chartered ones
- Comprehensive information on
banks supervised by the Federal Reserve
- Includes foreign banks
operating in the U.S.
- Banks can be ranked on
various criteria
Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC)
- SEC website
- Information about policies
and procedures, including rule making and enforcement actions
- Provides the official EDGAR
Database of corporate information
- Treasury website
- PDF format
- Quarterly
- Issued by the Financial
Management Service
- Narrative, tables, and
charts on Treasury auctions, international statistics
- Profile of the economy,
federal debt, U.S. savings bonds and notes, U.S. currency circulation
Foreign Trade
- Create maps of distribution of exports by nation or states
- State by state exports to selected market
- Export product profile to selected market.
- Annual
- Goods and services included
- Detailed country and
commodity data
- Aggregate trade data with
emphasis on trade balances
- Includes commodity trade by
country and region
- Updated monthly on NTDB
under "Merchandise Trade"
- International trade and U.S. tariff data from 1989
- Create customized reports
- Issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission
- Monthly subscription-based server
product
- Available free in depository libraries
- Trade leads
- Market research reports
- General country information
- Export/import statistics
- Most current and reliable
data about industries, products and countries world-wide
- 17 agencies contribute their
international trade and export promotion information
- Data available as full text,
time series, and data matrices
- 1-2 years of statistics on
quantity, value, and shipments for many product categories
U.S. Exports of Merchandise
- CD-ROM subscription product
- Detailed trade data not
found elsewhere
- Monthly and annual data
- Detailed commodity by
country and by customs district
- Data by geography, period,
commodity, transportation mode
- Data files in dBase III+
format
- Data on monthly changes in imports and exports
- Goods and services
- Goods by category and place
- Trade balance past two years.
U.S. Imports of Merchandise
- CD-ROM subscription product
- Similar to the exports
database described above
Government
- Biennial
- Issued by the Tax Foundation
- Time series data on public
finance, taxes, expenditures and indebtedness at federal, state and
local government level
Governments Division, Census
Bureau
- Census of Government website
- Much information available
on-line from the Census of Government
- Finance data, including
state tax collections, public employment and payroll
Green Book
- Annual
- Issued by the House of
Representatives
- Data on all major
entitlement programs
- Available from GPO Access
Office of Management and Budget
- OMB website
- An alphabetical index to OMB
documents, most of which relate to federal budgetary matters
Health
An excellent guide to Health
Statistics is
found at Michigan State University
Center for Disease Control
- CDC website
- Access to many CDC reports
and some numeric public health data
- Allows searching data sets,
both numeric and text
- See "Scientific data, ...
health statistics" link
- Good links to other
information sources
CDC
Wonder provides access to a
variety of public health data sets, including mortality and vital
statistics.
Combined Health Information
Database
- Combined website
- One search through several
government medical databases
- Product of the National
Institute of Health
Child Health (HE 20.9202:c
43/2/
Annual chart book for children
and youth. Includes historical data. Data by state and urban area.
- Annual report to Congress on
U.S. health
- Health status, health care
resources, health care costs and financing, reproductive health,
substance abuse, health behaviors
- Recent trends and detailed
discussions of selected current health issues
Healthfinder
Healthfinder is a
gateway to Federal government consumer health information on the WWW
. Access to some databases.
International Database
Statistical
tables for all countries
including some health statistics. May be useful for comparative
purposes.
- Monthly and cumulative data
on births, marriages, divorces, and deaths
- Most data by age, race, and
sex
- Issued quarterly but time
lag in publication
- Cumulates into an Annual
Summary issue, and eventually (some years later) into the three volume Vital
Statistics of the U.S.(HE 20.6210)
- Retrospective data is found
in Vital Statistics Rates in
the United States, 1900-1940 and Vital Statistics Rates in
the United States, 1940-1960
- Births, deaths, divorces,
induced terminations and deaths for states and nation
- Includes some annual
summaries
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report (MMWR)
- The MMWR website contains
all of the
material from all MMWR publications from 1993 to date.
- Focus is on
communicable diseases and public health problems.
- Includes considerable
statistical material.
- Includes links to local public health departments
- Subscriptions available to receive reports via email.
National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public
Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services
- The NCHS website
- Principal vital and health
statistics agency of the federal government
- Births, deaths, induced
terminations of pregnancy, fetal deaths, fertility, life expectancy,
marriages and divorces (often by race and sex)
- Many technical reports are
issued, especially in their Vital and Health Statistics series
- Both published and
unpublished statistical data is available
- Some NCHS hard copy items
are distributed by GPO
- Customized injury-related mortality data and nonfatal injury data
- Injury maps
- Leading causes charts
- Standard data and statistics reports
National Clearinghouse for
Alcohol and Drug Information
The NCADI website contains
some statistical information in fact sheets and publications.
- Issued periodically
- 6 year study with 45,000
people
- Focuses on population groups
such as African-Americans, Hispanics, low-income persons, and the
elderly
- Prevalence of specific
conditions or chronic diseases, data on blood pressure, measurements
and nutritional status and deficiencies
- 1996-
- Alternative health care
settings included
- Patient follow-up component
and health characteristics
- Monitoring health care use,
impact of medical technology and quality of care
- Will include data formerly
found in National Hospital
Discharge Survey , National
Ambulatory Medical Care Survey , National Nursing Home
Provider Inventory
- Annual, may be time lag
- Involves about 50,000
households
- Health, illness and
disability status of the non-institutionalized
- Incidence of illness and
accidental injuries, prevalence of chronic diseases and impairments,
disability
National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA)
The NIAAA website provides
access to some statistical information.
National Institute on Drug
Abuse
The
NIDA website provides access to
some statistical information, especially on drug use by students and
adolescents.
- Indexes documents on 24
private and government sites
- Basic keyword search engine
- Periodically
- Women of child-bearing age
- Family planning practices
and attitudes
- Maternal and child health
State Injury Mortality Data
Injury
mortality data is found here .
Includes national and state data on deaths by firearms, motor vehicles,
suffocation, drowning, falls, fire, poison, homicide and suicide from
1989.
Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The SAMHSA
provides
access to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse
as well as other statistical data.
- Annual
- 3 volumes: natality,
mortality, and marriage and divorce
- Mortality, natality,
marriage, and divorce data
- Extensive demographic and
geographic detail
- Time series and comparative
data on birth rates, causes of death, and characteristics of married
and divorced individuals
- Most time series data for
nation only
- Notable time lag (4 - 5
years) in publication
- Updated by Monthly
Vital Statistics Report
- Issued by the World Health
Organization
- Life expectancy, fertility,
deaths, disease, disability, health spending, prenatal care, and more
- Useful for national
comparisons
- Not all reported statistics
are reliable
- Health indicators by
country, including vital statistics
- Data varies according to
what is provided by the country
Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS)
- BLS website
- Comprehensive focus on
labor, employment, earnings (by occupation), prices, and price indexes
on well organized site
- Good selection of
time-series data
- Easy access to state data
via map
- News releases grouped by
topic
- Data extraction for
sophisticated users
- Economy at a glance with
current economic indicators
- Focus on labor economics and
statistics, especially employment and unemployment, wages
CPI Detailed Report
- CPI website
- Monthly
- Reasonably comprehensive
report on what consumers pay for typical goods and services. Includes
sales and excise taxes.
- Released about two weeks
after the end of the month
- Monthly and quarterly
statistics on employment, unemployment, and median weekly earnings
- Most categories by age, sex,
race, and marital status
- Includes employment by
industry
- National, state, and area
data
- Household and establishment
data
Employment,
Hours and
Earnings, United States, 1909-1994 ( L2.3:1312-12+909-94)
- Historical, national data
for individual non-agricultural industries
- Arranged by SIC code
Employment, Hours, and
Earnings, States and Areas, 1939-1994 (Doc L2.3:2320)
This is a companion to the
above volume for states and 272 areas.
- Annual
- Selected demographic and
economic characteristics for the states, 50 large metropolitan areas
and 17 central cities
- Clear definitions of the major terms used on the Bureau of Labor
Statistics website.
- Quick alphabetical lookup
- Essential for anyone unfamiliar with the professional nomenclature
Handbook of Labor Statistics
(HD 8064 .A3) [discontinued[
- All major time series
produced by BLS
- Related data from other
government agencies and abroad
- Demographics
- Productivity, earnings,
benefits and work stoppage
- Replaced by the Report
on the American Workforce
- Bernan continues to publish
a hard copy version under the title Handbook
of U.S. Labor Statistics with
some value added features.
- Current data and trends re:
employment, earnings, consumer and price indexes, productivity, work
stoppages, and wage/compensation data
- Besides many pages of
current statistics, includes book reviews and some other features
- Biennial editions
- Employment, qualifications
and advancement, job outlook, earnings, related occupations
- Practical information
- Wide-variety of career and
work-related topics, including new occupations, training opportunities,
and salary trends
- Continuing information on
changing career opportunities
- Some statistics
Productivity Measures for
Selected Industries and Government Services (Doc mf L2.3/20)
- Annual
- Output per employee hour and
per employee for selected industries and some government functions
- Data usually begins in 1958
and by SIC code
- See the BLS
Productivity and cost pages for current data
- 1994-
- Data on U.S. labor market
trends and conditions
- Includes international
comparisons
Military
The Directorate for
Information Operations and Reports, Statistical Information, Analysis
Division
Includes some statistics on
personnel and casualty information which
is found here
Military expenditures, arms
transfers, armed forces and related economic data for 144 countries.
Politics
There is an excellent guide to Statistical
Resources on the Web: Politics at
the
University of Michigan Documents Center
. This includes both government and non-government sources. Only a few
sources contain much statistical information.
America Votes: A Handbook of
Contemporary American Election Statistics
Presidential Elections Since
1789 (Ref JK 524 .P68)
Voting statistics for president
and vice president through the 1980 elections.
Population
See Census reports mentioned in
previous topic.
Religion
- Substantial collection of statistics
- Includes references to other sources
- Covers about 4,200 religious oorganizations.
Social Issues
- Annual
- Current and historical data
- More than 225 detailed
tables on a variety of income-support programs
- Included with subscription
to Social Security Bulletin
- Annual, but some time lag
- Number of workers, amount of
taxable wages, amount of SS contributions and the workers' age, sex and
race
- Biennial, but some time lag
- Broad economic picture
- Sources of income and how
much from each
Kids Count Data Book
- Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Annual publication
- Data on the status of children in the U.S.
- Effective use of graphs and maps
- Many rankings
- Annual, but some time lag
- Number of people receiving
benefits, type received, and total benefits by county and state
- Growing number of
publications and tables available in PDF format such as OASDI
Beneficiaries by State and County ,
and Income of The Aged Chart
book
- National and foreign social
security research
- Entire range of
income-problems, and maintenance programs, especially, old-age
survivors and disability insurance
- Biennial
- Chart format
- 163 countries
- Annual, but some time lag
- Distribution to aged, blind,
and disabled adults and children by state and county
Transportation
- By NTSB
- Accident and fatality
statistics for U.S. airlines from 1982
- Accidents are by type of
carrier but not by airline
Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS), Department of Transportation
- BTS website
- Much information about
agency, its research and publications, especially policy documents
- Subject searchable databases
- Growing amount of data
- Many of their reports and
products are available free
- Special tabulation of the
Census data for transportation planners
- Characteristics of persons,
workers, and housing units by traffic analysis zone or tract
- Characteristics of workers
by county and place of 2500 or more of work
- Characteristics of workers
in journey to work and flows between places
- Annual, but last = 1996
- IN MS Excel format
- Much historical data
- Airports, airport activity,
U.S. civil air carrier fleet, general aviation aircraft, aircraft
accidents, aeronautical production and imports/exports
Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA website
- Research and regulatory
information
- Airports, aircraft, safety,
certification procedures
- Searchable database
- Hot topics list
- Statistics, education,
research, and safety
Federal Highway Administration
- FHA website
- Regulations and statistics
- Searchable database
- Information on current
projects, including pending legislation, funding, and potential projects
Federal Railroad Administration
- FRA website
- Railroad policy and safety
issues
- Statistics
- Information on research
projects
Federal Transit Administration
- FTA website
- Statistical and report
information
- Legal, technological and
safety issues
- Searchable database
- Annual
- Motor vehicle registration,
fuel consumption, highway finance, highway usage, traffic fatality rates
- Most tables have national
and state data
- Lotus, Excel, or PDF format
Maritime Administration
- MARAD website
- Current state of water
transportation and shipbuilding
- Search engines
- Reports, statistics, agency
contacts, educational programs, relevant laws
- Internal and external water
transportation, commerce, and shipping needs for national security
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration
- NHTSA WWW site
- Statistics and reports
- Automobile safety,
accidents, death rates, safely features, and highway status
- Searchable database
- Current and pending research
- Finance and expenditures for
most state and local transit systems
- Many files are large and
must be down-loaded to use
- Compilation of geographic
data bases
- National, regional
information by state
- Transportation networks,
terminals, and other structures
- Investigates highway,
railroad, marine, and pipeline accidents (since 1967)
- Separate page for each mode
of transportation National Transportation
Statistics, {yr}
- Comprehensive annual report
- Selected national
transportation and transportation-related (planes, trains, automobiles,
and boats) data from a wide variety of government and PRIVATE sources
- Inventory of the nation's
motor vehicles, aircraft, and vessels
- Linkage between
transportation and the economy
- Some safety record
information
- Companion volume to annual
report to Congress, Transportation Statistics Annual Report
- Summary statistics go back
to 1960
- National data for air,
passenger car, truck, bus, transit, rail, water, and pipeline
- Physical network
- Economic performance
- Safety data
- Energy use
- Air emissions
- Trilateral coverage: Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
- Over 90 data tables
- Figures, maps, and technical documentation
- Compiled by the Transportation Division of the SLA
- Published by the National Transportation Library
- Covers variety of forms of transportation
- Links included for many sources
Statistical
Resources on the Web: Transportation
- 20 years data on fatal
vehicle traffic crashes
- Information on crash,
vehicle, driver, occupant, and non-occupants
TranStats: the
Intermodal Transportation Database
- Central location for transportation data
- Integrated searchable index of more than 100 transportation
databases
- All transportation modes
- Some social and demographic data related to transportation
planning
- Includes interactive mapping and analytical tools
Last
major revision: January 2005.
