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Introduction |
General Compilations | Historical Compilations |
Major Subject Compilations |
Agencies by Subject
Introduction
The Federal Government compiles statistics on virtually everything,
from agriculture to weather. Federal statistics on average either
cover the nation as a whole, or break it up into regions, or the
50 states. The major exception to this rule is the Census Bureau,
which does collect information down to the county and city level.
Each federal agency is responsible for collecting and disseminating
statistics. There is no "Department of Statistics." Some agencies
disseminate more than others, the Census Bureau being the most widely
known. If you need statistical information, the first question to
ask yourself is what agency would collect my data? Most of the time
it is obvious. If you wanted statistics on reported income, you
would go to an IRS publication. Sometimes it is not obvious. If
you were looking for divorce statistics, you need to consult data
from National Center for Health Statistics.
The number of publications available on the Internet is growing,
with about 90% of the current publications available online. All
of the core compilations of federal statistics are available online.
(You will need
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view most of these publications.) However,
this is current information. If you need historical statistics,
earlier than 1995, you will probably need to consult the print and
microfiche collections of government publications. Also, each agency
independently creates their websites, so actually finding information
on the website can be tricky at times, not to mention the fact that
the look and content of the site is constantly changing. Look for
words like publications, data, information,
library, or resources to find statistical information.
Most sites do have a search engine as well.
General Compilations
FedStats -- Federal
government's centralized source for finding statistics online. Browse
an A to Z subject list, or perform a keyword search; also provides
links to the agencies' websites.
Latest Federal
Government Statistics -- Quick access to the latest economic
and social statistics in brief tabular format, with links to the
press releases.
- Crime
- violent crime rates, national correctional populations, etc.
- Demography
- population, household income, homeownership, etc.
- Education
- trends in academic progress, dropout rates, etc.
- Employment
- employment/unemployment rates, average hourly earnings, productivity,
etc.
- Health
- vital statistics, health care expenditures, etc.
- Income
- per capita income, disposable income, poverty, etc.
- International
- balance of current accounts, trade deficit, etc.
- Money
- money stock and components, interest rates and bond yields,
etc.
- Output
- Gross Domestic Product, personal saving rate, corporate profits,
etc.
- Prices
- Consumer Price Index, Producer Price Index, etc.
- Production
- housing starts, advanced retail sales, etc.
- Transportation
- air travel stats, freight stats, etc.
LexisNexis
Statistical (UIS Database) -- Large database for finding statistical information. Also
available in print as American Statistics Index [Doc Index
Z7554.U5 A46 1974-1999].
- Click Tables Base Edition to search
30,000 full text statistical tables on a variety of topics.
- Click Abstracts to search
sources of statistical information published since 1970 (if available
online, a URL is provided, and cited data available in microfiche).
- Click Links for other suggested
sources of statistical information online.
Statistical Abstract
of the United States (1878-present) [also DOC C 3.134: 1924-present] --
First place to look for statistics; published annually by
Census Bureau with over 1500 tables of statistics gathered from
all agencies and other organizations. Source at the bottom of each
table, so if you cannot find exactly the information sought, at
least you should be able to find out what agency will collect that
particular data.
Statistical
Resources on the Web -- MajFebruary 12, 2008ental sources of statistical information. Organized by
subject, or you may perform a keyword search of the site. Created
by University of Michigan's Documents Center.
Historical Compilations
Datapedia of the United States: 1790-2000 [REF HA 202 .K87] -- Offers broad overview of statistics, combining the historical and contemporary data from federal sources.
Historical Statistics of Black America [E185 .H543 1995 Ref, 2 volumes] & Statistical Record of Black America [REF E185.5 .S7 1995] -- Both volumes cover statistics on a range of subjects, from agriculture to vital statistics. Compiled from federal government sources as well as from African-American institutions.
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 [ also in print DOC C3.134/2:H62/970/, 2 volumes] -- Overview of federal government statistics, to be used as a compilation and predecessor to Statistical Abstract.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (1878-present) [also in print DOC C 3.134: 1924-present] -- The Census Bureau has digitized virtually all of the editions of this core statistical compilation.
Statistical Handbook of Women in America [REF HQ 1420 .T34 1996] -- Selected tables, charts, and graphs on demographics, employment, economics, health, and social characteristics. Data is mainly from the 1990s, but some historical figures are included.
Statistical Record of Asian Americans [REF E 184 .O6 S75 1993] - Covers statistics on a range of subjects, from agriculture to vital statistics. Compiled from federal government sources as well as from non-government and Asian/Pacific Islander sources. Major Subject Compilations
Agriculture |
Crime & Justice Economics |
Education
| Energy | Health
| Labor | Population & Demographics | Transportation
Agriculture
Crime and Justice
- Sourcebook of
Criminal Justice Statistics [also in print DOC J 29.9/6:1974-present]
-- From the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and
the operation of justice systems at all levels of government
- Uniform Crime Reports -- Federal Bureau of Investigation's compilation of statistical data, including the annual Crime in the United States , a cooperative statistical effort of over 17,000 city, county, and state law enforcement agencies, Hate Crime Statistics , and Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted.
Economics
- Economic Census -- Compiled every 5 years by the Census Bureau, the Economic Census provides a detailed portrait of the economy, from the national to the local level. Covers nearly all of the U.S. economy in its basic collection of establishment statistics. There also are several related programs, including statistics on minority- and women-owned businesses. Can use American FactFinder to access tables of data from 1997 and 2002 Economic Censuses.
- STAT-USA Ask
Librarian for Access -- From the
Department of Commerce, large database for business, trade and
economics statistics.
- Survey of Current Business [also in print DOC C 59.11:1921-present] -- From the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross Domestic Product (GDP); national wealth; the input-output accounts; personal income and related economics; and the U.S. balance of payments accounts and associated foreign investment accounts.
Education
Energy
Health
- Health,
United States [also in print DOC HE 20.7042/6: 1975-present] -- From
the National Center for Health
Statistics, data on the nature and extent of the health, illness,
and disability of the U.S. population, as well as family formation,
growth, and dissolution (marriages and divorces); and vital events
(i.e., births and deaths).
Labor
- Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics [RFebruary 12, 2008ation of a private publisher, from data from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics on employment and unemployment; consumer
expenditures; prices and living conditions; wages and employee benefits;
projections of economic growth, the labor force, and employment
by industry and occupation; and occupational injuries and illnesses. For online information, consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has lots of full text data.
Population & Demographics
Transportation
Agencies by Subject
FedStats has created
annotated lists of agencies by subject.
You may also consult the Office of Management & Budget's publication
Statistical
Programs of the United States Government (various years, PDF
documents), for more details on the agencies programs and proposed
budgets.
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