Related Guides
Data, Ranking, Statistical, & Public Opinion Sources
- Policy Map This link opens in a new window Easy-to-use online mapping and visualization tool. Downloadable U.S. demographic, economic and social data by city, state, zip code, county or census tract. Types of data include crime, housing, health, education and occupations, derived from both public and proprietary sources.
- National Zoning and Land Use Database (NZLUD). The database covers 2,600+ cities, towns, and other municipalities and includes dozens of indicators, such as whether the rules specify annual limits on several types of permits, allow any accessory dwelling units, require various review-board approvals, impose parking space minimums, and more.
- DataTown (Massachusetts Housing Partnership Center for Housing Data) DataTown compiles community-level information for all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns, and visualizes that data in graphics and charts that are easy to understand, print out and bring to a community discussion. DataTown allows you to download the underlying data as well. And we've just added a new feature - the ability to create graphics that compare communities!
- TODEX: Transit-Oriented Development Explorer for Massachusetts (Massachusetts Housing Partnership, Center for Housing Data) The Massachusetts Housing Partnership Center for Housing Data has developed a user-friendly tool that allows you to review densities at all 261 Greater Boston transit stations and picture the great opportunity we have to build more housing and reduce traffic congestion.
- Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) PUMS provides census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. IPUMS integration and documentation makes it easy to study change, conduct comparative research, merge information across data types, and analyze individuals within family and community context. Data and services available free of charge.
- OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new window OECD iLibrary is the online library of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) featuring books, papers and statistics and is the gateway to OECD’s analysis and data. It replaced SourceOECD in July 2010. OECD iLibrary also contains content published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the OECD Development Centre, PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), and the International Transport Forum (ITF).
- Analyze Boston Analyze Boston is the City of Boston's open data hub. We invite you to explore our datasets, read about us, or see our tips for users.
- MetroBoston DataCommon The MetroBoston DataCommon provides a wealth of information about the region’s people and communities through a variety of topics -- from arts and education to the environment and transportation. A resource for all those seeking to understand how the region is changing, it helps residents, stakeholders, planners, city and town officials, educators and journalists explore data and make informed decisions. We invite you to explore its data, community snapshots and create your own visualizations and reports.
- ICPSR Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research This link opens in a new window ICPSR is the world's largest archive of computer readable social science data in education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and other fields.
- County and City Data Book 2007 Select Data Books.
- Metro Monitor (The Brookings Institution) Metro Monitor 2021 tracks the inclusive economic growth performance of the 192 largest U.S. metro areas, which together are home to 78% of the nation’s population and contribute 84% of the nation’s GDP.
- LocalView Public Meetings Database LocalView is a database co-created by Soubhik Barari and Tyler Simko to advance the study of local government in the United States. It is the largest dataset of local government public meetings — the central policy-making process in American local government — as they are captured on video.
- Data.gov The home of the U.S. Government’s open data Here you will find data, tools, and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more.
- ResearchDataGov ResearchDataGov is a web portal for discovering and requesting access to restricted microdata from 16 federal statistical agencies
- City-Data.com By collecting and analyzing data from a variety of government and private sources, we're able to create detailed, informative profiles for every city in the United States. From crime rates to weather patterns, you’ll find the data you're looking for on City-Data.com.
- American Housing Survey, U.S. Census Bureau The AHS is sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The survey is the most comprehensive national housing survey in the United States.
- Censusscope CensusScope is an easy-to-use tool for investigating U.S. demographic trends, brought to you by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) at the University of Michigan. With eye-catching graphics and exportable trend data, CensusScope is designed for both generalists and specialists.
- Municipal Incorporation Data (Christopher Goodman, GitHub) This repository contains the Stata code and raw spreadsheets needed to create an individual-level and state-specific dataset of dates of municipal incorporation for all active (included in the Census of Governments) municipalities in the United States.
- Out of Reach (National Low Income Housing Coalition) Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. The report’s Housing Wage is the hourly wage a full-time worker must earn to afford a modest rental home without spending more than 30% of his or her income on housing costs. It is based on HUD’s Fair Market Rent (FMR), which is an estimate of what a family moving today can expect to pay for a modest rental home in the area.
Public Opinion
- Menino Survey of Mayors The Menino Survey was initiated in 2014 by the Boston University Initiative on Cities, co-founded by the late Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. Now in its ninth year, the Menino Survey is based on live interviews with mayors on their pressing challenges, priorities, and expectations for the future. It continues in 2022 with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation.
- Roper Center Public Opinion Archives This link opens in a new window The Roper Center is a public opinion archive that preserves the data from polls conducted by many leading survey organizations. Most of the data are from the United States, but over 50 nations are represented. The iPOLL databank offers access to nearly half a million survey questions and answers asked in the U.S. by more than 150 survey organizations. Direct links are given to study documentation and datasets. Date coverage: 1930s – present.
