Find Statistical Information
About
Government agencies are the primary source of U.S. and international statistics. Besides statistical data in print, microfiche, and CD-ROM formats in Government Publications, the library subscribes to several statistical databases (restricted to SFSU students & faculty). Ask for help at at the Research and Assistance Desk.
General Information: U.S. government
The Statistical abstract of the United States is the single best data source for beginning a search. Published by the U.S. Census Bureau, it is an annual compilation of data on a wide variety of topics. Most data has been collected by U.S. government agencies but it also includes authoritative data from other sources as well as core data on other countries and international comparison tables. The Statistical Abstract is extensively footnoted and so it may be used to identify more detailed sources of information or to learn who collects the statistics of interest.
| Internet/ Research Desk/ Gov Info Desk |
Statistical abstract of the United States. Annual since 1879. Latest year at the Reference and Government Publications Desks. Tables are also searchable in LexisNexis Statistical |
| Database/ Gov Info Desk |
LexisNexis Statistical: Broad range of statistical sources, including American Statistics Index (ASI), Statistical Reference Index (SRI), and Index to International Statistics (IIS). Check out the "How Do I?" section for answers to common statistical questions. |
| Internet | FedStats: Statistics from over 100 agencies. |
| Database | Historical Statistics of the U.S. (SFSU users only) "Topics ranging from migration and health to crime and the Confederate States of America are each placed in historical context by a recognized expert in the field. The fully searchable and downloadable electronic edition will permit users to graph individual tables and create customized tables and spreadsheets reflecting their own particular areas of interest." |
| Govt. Index Area/print/ microfiche | American Statistics Index (ASI): guide to statistics from federal sources, covering demographic, social, economic, natural resources data, some scientific data [from 1974-present, some earlier indexing from 1960s]. |
| Govt. Index Area/print/ microfiche |
Statistical Reference Index (SRI): index to statistics from nonfederal private and public organizations, including state governments, businesses, universities, and other research centers [1980-present]. |
| Internet | Statistical Resources on the Web. Award winning and comprehensive Internet site from the University of Michigan Library Documents Center. |
| Database/ Ref AY 67.N5 W7 |
The World almanac and book of facts (SFSU users only) Latest print version in the Reference area and Government Publications Desk. Annual since 1923. |
State and Local Sources:
| Database | RAND California (SFSU users only) "California Statistics contains nearly 100 statistical databases, ranging from employment to social security payments to SAT scores. Much of the data is available at the national, state, county, city, and zip code levels." |
| Internet/ Research Desk/ Gov Info Desk |
California statistical abstract. Annual since 1958. Online from 2000. Latest year at the Reference and Government Publications Desks. |
| Ref Stacks HN 60 .C68 |
CQ's [Congressional Quarterly's] state fact finder. Annual since 1993. Latest year in Reference on 1st floor. Includes rankings and quality of life data. |
| Internet/ Ref Stacks/ Gov Info Desk HA 203 .C68 |
County and city extra: annual metro, city, and county data book. Annual since 1992. Includes a wide variety of socio-economic data and is more current than the printed County and City Data Book from the U.S. Census. For online data check State and County QuickFacts from the Census Bureau. Latest year in Reference area and Govt. Desk. |
| Ref Stacks Call numbers vary |
McCormack, Don and Allen Kanda. McCormack's guides [to SF Bay Area counties]. Most have been annual since 1991. "School rankings, home prices, rents, recreation, weather, city, profiles, jobs, statistics, crime rates" for Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties. California Almanac and Trivia Guide located at the Government Desk. Latest year in Reference area. |
| Internet | Crime in California by City and County |
| Internet | Education data and statistics from the California Department of Education. |
| Internet | Department of Health Services Statistical Resources |
International
| Database/ Govt. Pubs. microfiche |
Index to International Statistics (IIS): "Statistical publications of international intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)" are essential sources of basic information on the nations and regions of the world. They provide answers to both general and specific questions concerning population; business and financial activities; international trade; education; health; and other economic, demographic, and social matters. [LexisNexis Statistical database.] |
| Internet/ Gov Info Desk |
United Nations Statistics Division. The UN Statistical Division provides free access to selected global datasets, such as the Millennium Development Goals Indicators, which presents 48 social and economic indicators to measure progress by country and year since 1985. There are also Economic statistics, Demographic & Social Statistics, Environment & Energy Statistics, and links to national statistical offices and other international agencies. |
| Internet | UNICEF Monitoring & Statistics "UNICEF" is the lead agency for monitoring the child related Millennium Development Goals. |
| Internet/ Gov Info Desk |
The State of the world's children. Oxford University Press for UNICEF. Annual since 1980. Latest years are online; other years at Government Desk. |
| Govt. Desk | Statistical yearbook. Annuaire statistique. Annual since 1948. Most recent year at Government Desk (5th floor). |
| Govt. Desk/ HC59.69 .S63/ also on CD-ROM |
World Development Indicators. "…the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. The 2007 WDI includes more than 900 indicators in over 80 tables organized in 6 sections: World View, People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links." [SFSU library has 1998-latest edition.] |
| Internet | U.S. Overseas Loans & Grants (Greenbook): "The Greenbook" shows a complete historical record of United States' (U.S.) foreign aid to the rest of the world by reporting all loans and grants authorized by the U.S. Government for each fiscal year. Users can access standard tables already constructed, or create custom tables and reports by selecting recipient countries, years and type of USG assistance. Data is available in either historical or constant dollars." |
| Online/ Print at Govt. Desk HD72 .H85 |
Human Development Report. "Each year since 1990 the Human Development Report has published the human development index (HDI) that looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of well-being." |
| Internet/ Gov Info Desk |
World Health Organization. World health statistics annual. Annuaire de statistiques sanitaires mondiales. Annual since 1962. Latest years online; earlier at Government Desk. |
| Govt. Desk | International financial statistics yearbook. Library has 1979-current year. |
| Internet | UNESCO Institute for Statistics |
| Online | Eurostat. "Eurostat’s mission is to provide the European Union with a high-quality statistical information service." |
| Internet | Statistical Resources on the Web: Foreign sources From the University of Michigan Documents Center. |
Population and Demographics
| Internet | U.S. Census Bureau: Information on characteristics of the U.S. population. |
| Internet | American FactFinder "A free online tool for accessing key Census Bureau data sets: the population and housing census, the economic census, the American Community Survey, and others." |
| Internet | U.S. Historical Census Data Browser covers 1790-1960. |
Business/Economic
| Database | Stat-USA. (SFSU users only) "STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the site for the U.S. business, economic and trade community, providing authoritative information from the Federal government." Gateway to two major sets of data: State of the Nation [current and historical economic and financial data on the U.S. economy] and GLOBUS & NTDB [current and historical trade-related data, international market research, trade opportunities, country analysis, and the ITA trade library]. |
| Database | TableBase. (SFSU users only) Part of the Business Reference Suite database. Search for statistical tables in business literature since 1994 by keywords, document types, NAICS/Product codes, or geographical coverage. |
| Internet | 2002 Economic Census (U.S. Census Bureau) "The Economic Census profiles American business every 5 years, from the national to the local level." |
| Internet/ Govt Pubs | Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). "The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.” Produces the Consumer Price Index (CPI). SFSU has Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletins from 1895. |
| Internet/ Govt Pubs | Economic Report of the President includes:
|
| Internet | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) "…a database of over 13,000 U.S. economic time series. With FRED® you can download data in Microsoft Excel and text formats and view charts of data series." |
| Internet | ALFRED (ArchivaL Federal Reserve Economic Data) "ALFRED® allows you to retrieve vintage versions of economic data that were available on specific dates in history.& |
| Internet | FRASER (Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research) "On this web site you will find links to scanned images (in Adobe® Acrobat® PDF format) of historical economic statistical publications, releases, and documents." |
| Internet | GeoFRED "enables users to create thematic maps of U.S. economic data by state, county or metropolitan statistical area." |
| Internet | County Business Patterns "covers most of the country`s economic activity. Businesses use the data for analyzing market potential, measuring the effectiveness of sales and advertising programs, setting sales quotas, and developing budgets. Government agencies use the data for administration and planning." |
Crime
| Internet | Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center: "The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), through its Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center (FJSRC), compiles comprehensive information describing suspects and defendants processed in the Federal criminal justice system." |
| Internet | Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics Online: data tables on criminal justice characteristics, public opinion, crime, victims, arrests, seizures, courts, prosecution, sentencing, parole, jails prisons, death penalty. |
| Internet/ Govt. Pubs. |
FBI Uniform Crime Reports online from 1995 Print from 1980 (J 1.14/7): "…several annual statistical publications, such as the comprehensive Crime in the United States, are produced from data provided by nearly 17,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States." |
| Internet | Bureau of Justice Statistics: "the United States' primary source for criminal justice statistics." |
| Internet | National Archive of Criminal Justice Data: "NACJD…facilitates research in criminal justice and criminology, through the preservation, enhancement, and sharing of computerized data resources; through the production of original research based on archived data; and through specialized training workshops in quantitative analysis of crime and justice data." |
Education
| Internet | National Center for Education Statistics |
| Internet/ Govt Pubs ED 1.326: |
U.S. Department of Education. Digest of education statistics. Annual since 1975. Latest year at Government Desk. |
| Internet | Social Statistics Briefing Room |
Health
| Internet | National Center for Health Statistics |
| Internet | MedlinePlus Health Statistics |
| Ref HA 217 .A4 | National Safety Council. Injury Facts. Annual since 1947 [under former name: "Accident Facts"]. Latest year in Reference. |
Military
| Internet | American War and Military Operations Casualties: "This report is written in response to numerous requests for war casualty statistics and lists of war dead. It provides tables, compiled by sources at the Department of Defense, indicating the number of casualties among American military personnel serving in principal wars and combat actions." From Revolutionary War to present. |
Science
| Internet | National Science Foundation: Science & Engineering Statistics |
| Internet | Energy Information Administration (EIA): "Our mission is to provide policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment." |
| Internet | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA): Data on climate, weather, fisheries, satellites, oceans, beach temperatures. The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) "provides scientific stewardship, products, and services for geophysical data from the Sun to the Earth and Earth's sea floor and solid earth environment, including Earth observations from space." |
| SFSU NetLibrary | The weather almanac [electronic resource] : a reference guide to weather, climate, and related issues in the United States and its key cities / Richard A. Wood, editor. |
| Internet | Columbia University. Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESEN). "CIESIN specializes in on-line data and information management, spatial data integration and training, and interdisciplinary research related to human interactions in the environment." |
Agriculture
| Internet | Census of Agriculture: "The Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and many other areas." |
| Internet/ Govt Pubs A 1.47: | U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. Annual since 1936. Latest year at Government Desk. |
Religion
The Bureau of the Census collected information in the Census of Religious Bodies from 1906-1936. This information was obtained from religious organizations.
Public Law 94-521 prohibits us from asking a question on religious affiliation on a mandatory basis; therefore, the Bureau of the Census is not the source for information on religion.
Some statistics on religion can be found in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, the section on Population.
See one of the organizations below for statistics on religious affiliation:
| Internet | Hartford Institute for Religion Research: "Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research has a thirty-two year record of rigorous, policy-relevant research, anticipation of emerging issues and commitment to the creative dissemination of learning. This record has earned the Institute an international reputation as an important bridge between the scholarly community and the practice of faith." |
| Internet | Membership statistics from the National Council of Churches’ Member Communions. |
| Internet | The Association of Religious Data Archives (ARDA): "The ARDA allows you to interactively explore the highest quality data on American and international religion using online features for generating national profiles, maps, church membership overviews, denominational heritage trees, tables, charts, and other summary reports. Over 350 data files are available for online preview and most can be downloaded for additional research. |
Transportation
| Internet | Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) collects data on all modes of transit. |
Sports
| Internet | Sports Almanac (Infoplease) |
| Ref GV 581 .G37 1997 | Gaschnitz, K. Michael. Professional sports statistics: a North American team-by-team and major non-team events, year-by-year reference, 1876 through 1996. |
Specialized Sources
The sources listed in this section are examples; often there are other resources available. You may add to this list by using the Library research guides and InvestiGator, the online catalog. Many of the Library's research guides include specific recommendations appropriate to the subject area. The Business, Foreign Countries, Ethnic Studies, History, Political Science/Public Administration and Women Studies research guides are especially useful.
To use InvestiGator, do a keyword (Words) search combining your topic with one of the standard words that are often used to describe statistical sources: almanac*, handbook*, ratings, or statistics. For example:
- cities and statistics
- climat** and handbook*
- school* and ratings
- technology and almanac*
These search tips will not identify every book with significant statistical content, but the results will indicate useful call numbers for browsing.
Sample Specialized Sources:
| Ref HT123 .A6692 2000 | Garoogian,Andrew. America's top-rated smaller cities: a statistical profile. Lakeville, CT: Grey House Publishing, 2000. |
| Ref HA 203 .S66 | Community sourcebook of ZIP code demographics. Vienna, VA: ESRI, 2004 - Latest year in Reference. |
| Ref HA 155 .K87 2001 | Kurian, George Thomas. The illustrated book of world rankings. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 2001. Includes a CD-ROM located in Library Media Services. See the Library's Foreign Country Statistics research guide for numerous other sources like this. |
| Ref P 88.8 .P57 | Plunkett's entertainment & media industry almanac. Houston, Tex.: Plunkett Research, Ltd. Annual since 1998. Latest year in Reference. |
| Ref QC 983 .R83 | Weather Almanac. Detroit: Gale Research Co. Annual since 1974. Latest year in Reference. |
Hard-to-find Data
Successfully finding statistical data that is not in a standard resource requires good inquiry and critical thinking skills. Accurate speculation about how the data would be gathered and who would have gathered it can help determine where it might have been published. For example, research on the smoking habits of college students may have been collected by market researchers (and noted in business sources) or collected by the Student Health Center or a professor (and published in a journal). The following are some things to think about when pursuing hard-to-find data:
- How would this data be gathered? Can it be gathered? Think about the real world; e.g., Are the data private or personal? Is it illegal or hard to count? Would it be too expensive to gather?
- Who would gather this data? Are they reliable? Authoritative? Basically, who cares? e.g., a government agency? a professor? a market research firm? an opinion pollster?
- Was the data published? Was it widely distributed? Data can be found in journal articles, reference books, corporate or agency records, Internet sites, etc. It could be in an office file cabinet and not widely distributed.
- Are there access restrictions? Are the data free? Is it only available to individuals in the company or agency?
