Research Guides: Black Studies: Finding Data

Public Data Sets

U.S. Census Bureau

Leading source of up-to-date demographic data about the United States people and economy.
ICPSR Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research

Data archive of research in the social and behavioral sciences, including specialized collections of data on health, education, criminal justice, substance abuse and social media. Users may have to log in with their Oxy email for off-campus access to some datasets. NOTE: ICPSR prohibits uploading datasets from their platform to AI tools.
IPUMS

Database of census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. Users must create a free account to access.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.
Sustainability Action Network (SUSAN)
Central database for climate research and data created by researchers at McGill University, Canada.
State of Working America Data Library
Provides researchers, media, and the public with easily accessible, up-to-date, and comprehensive historical data on the American labor force. It is compiled from Economic Policy Institute analysis of government data sources. Use it to research wages, inequality, and other economic indicators over time and among demographic groups.
General Social Survey
Contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings.
American National Election Studies
ANES produces high quality data from its own surveys on voting, public opinion, and political participation.
National Center for Education Statistics
The primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations.

CLASP Center for Law and Social Policy

CLASP conducts analysis of national, state, and local data to accurately document racial disparities and disparate policy impacts by race to inform our policy recommendations and advocacy.

American Immigration Council
State-by-state immigration data and facts.
World Bank
Free and open access to data about development in countries around the globe.
UN Statistics Department
Compiles and disseminates global statistical information, develop standards and norms for statistical activities, and support countries' efforts to strengthen their national statistical systems.

Current Population Survey
Sponsored jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is the primary source of labor force statistics for the population of the United States.

Pew Research Center

A nonpartisan, nonadvocay fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, computational social science research, and other data-driven research.
RAND Reports

Research on children and families; education and the arts; energy and environment; health care; infrastructure and transportation; international affairs; law and business; national security; public safety; science and technology.

Urban Institute
Nonprofit research organization that provides data and evidence to help advance upward mobility and equity.
The Brookings Institute
Nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. conducting research to improve policy and governance at local, national, and global levels.
The American Enterprise Institute
AEI is a community of scholars and supporters committed to expanding liberty, increasing individual opportunity and strengthening free enterprise.
Center for American Progress
The Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan educational institute dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action.
Center for the Study of Social Policy
Policy research on children and families. 1979-Current.

CLASP Center for Law and Social Policy

CLASP conducts analysis of national, state, and local data to accurately document racial disparities and disparate policy impacts by race to inform our policy recommendations and advocacy.

Southern Poverty Law Center
A nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society.
Measure of America-SSRC Project
Provides tools for understanding the distribution of well-being and opportunity in America, health, education, and living standards.
Institute for Research on Poverty
IRP researches the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in the United States. We bring together social scientists from across research disciplines such as economics, sociology, social work, and demography. The result is a well-rounded understanding of poverty issues.
Neighborhood Data for Social Change
A project of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, NDSC is a free, publicly available online resource for civic actors to learn about the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing Los Angeles County neighborhoods through maps, charts, data analysis, and storytelling.
U.S. Climate Regulation Database
Database of climate change-related regulations, guidance, and other policy documents issued by federal agencies since the start of the Obama administration in January 2009.

PolicyMap

Mapping and analytics tool for research related to social sciences, urban studies, housing, community development, public administration, public health, education, business and more. Also includes Claritas Prizm population segmentation data.
Social Explorer

Online research and data mapping tool with Census data and demographic information.

My Community Explorer (U.S. Census)
A data mapping tool to identify economically, environmentally and social vulnerable communities.
Mapping L.A.
Demographic data visualized by neighborhood from the LA Times
National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network
From the CDC
LAPD Crime Mapping
Interactive maps of crimes by type and neighborhood Sept 2011-Present.
Food Access Research Atlas
Presents an overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility. Offers census-tract-level data on food access that can be downloaded for community planning or research purposes.