Research Guides: Politics: Finding Data

Key Politics Data Sets

U.S. Census Bureau This link opens in a new window
Leading source of up-to-date demographic data about the United States people and economy.

American National Election Studies
ANES produces high quality data from its own surveys on voting, public opinion, and political participation.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.
CIRCLE
CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) conducts research on the civic and political engagement of young Americans.
Congress.gov
Congress.gov is the official source for federal legislative information.

EIU Economist Intelligence Unit - Country data via CIAO This link opens in a new window
Find up-to-date economic, political, and geographic information by country.

Federal Reserve
The Federal Reserve often referred to as "the Fed" is the central bank of the United States. Created to help promote a safe and sound monetary and financial system for our nation.
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.

ICPSR Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research This link opens in a new window
ICPSR maintains a data archive of more than 500,000 files of research in the social sciences. It hosts 16 specialized collections of data in education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and other fields.
IPUMS This link opens in a new window
Database of census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. Users must create a free account to access.

Population Reference Bureau (PRB)
PRB data sheets are ready references of demographic and health indicators by country and region including population projections and key data insights.
ProPublica
ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force.

United Nations International Law This link opens in a new window
This database contains full text and supporting documents for international conventions and treaties administered and enforced by the United Nations.

World Bank
The World Bank provides free and open access to a comprehensive set of data about development in countries around the globe.
World Values Survey
The World Values Survey (www.worldvaluessurvey.org) is a global network of social scientists studying changing values and their impact on social and political life, led by an international team of scholars, with the WVS association and secretariat headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
Yale ISPS Data Archive
The ISPS Data Archive consists primarily of social science research based on experiments. The Archive is organized by study and includes the data, analysis code, requisite documentation, and other associated materials.
YouGov Politics
From online polling platform, daily updated data sets on current events, hot-button issues and the economy.

Policy Map This link opens in a new window
An online U.S. national data, mapping and analytics tool with applications for research related to social sciences, urban studies, real estate and housing analysis, community and economic development, public administration, public health, policy and political science, education, business, economics, statistics, and geography, among others. No software installation needed.
Social Explorer This link opens in a new window
Social Explorer is an online research tool designed to provide quick and easy access to current and historical census data and demographic information.

LAPD Crime Mapping
Interactive maps of crimes by type and neighborhood Sept 2011-Present.