Finding Statistical Information
Government is the largest compiler of statistics on any geographic level. There are statistics from the United States government and many other governments on a variety of topics including state and local governmental units.
It is more difficult to find historical statistics than current statistics. Many countries did not collect data until the late 20th century. Others have compiled extensive databases. The databases listed below provide a front-end to searching for statistical information. Some databases are only available to the students, faculty, and staff of the Claremont Colleges.
If you need assistance, please contact Data Services Librarian Mary Martin
Indices and Search Engines to Statistical Data
Statistical Resources on The Web (University of Michigan Documents Center)
An incredibly comprehensive database organized by categories, links to web sites, governmental as well as non-governmental. Some databases are available through IP address only - so you will have to bactrack through the Libraries of The Claremont Colleges Databases Pages for OUR link to those resources.
This site is awesome. It has been created by a documents librarian (who has won all kinds of awards for the web site) If you see something here that you think we should link to, let Mary Martin know!
Search the Claremont Colleges Library
Located in the Databases in the Claremont Colleges Library site and arranged alphabetically. An extensive compilation of political, economic, social, and cultural datasets within the library website. Some data are only available to students, faculty, and staff of the Claremont Colleges, requiring a login for access; but many are publically available data.
This database indexes statistics in U.S.government publications issued by the federal government. This resource is available only to students, faculty, and staff of the Claremont Colleges.
Consortium for Political and Social Science Research)
ICPSR is a vast data archive of political and social science data for research and instruction. Remote access is available to the Claremont Colleges Academic Community. Data are browsable and searchable within 19 broad subject areas, by alphabet (series data), and by country.
Some subject areas are:
Some popular files are:
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, "the world's largest archive of survey data".
- For searching election exit polls, public opinion polls, and other survey data.
- Provides raw data for bivariate and multivariate analyses of survey data files to analyze on your own desktop.
- Contains indexes to polls back to 1940s; electronic access to codebooks from mid-90s.
- Also contains some Latin America and Japanese polls.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Roper Polls
- Statistics and Statistical Agencies
- MapStats: Statistical profiles of States, counties, cities, Congressional Districts, and Federal judicial districts
- Comparative geographical statistics
- Search across agencies
- Data Access Tools
- State of the Nation: over 50,000 current and historical statistical releases, reports, forecasts, and more
- GLOBUS & NTDB: over 200,000 current and historical data sources on international trade
Includes Market & Country Research and more
- City and County Databook
- State and Metropolitan Area Data Book
- USA Statistics in Brief (current issue only)
- County and City Databook: HON GOV US ; C 3.134/2
- Historical Statistics of the United States 1789-1945: HON REF FOL
- The Statistical History of the United States, From Colonial Times to the Present: ; HA202 .AM3 1949;
HA 202 A38 1976X: and HA 202 A 385 1965, 1976
Provides statistical information about the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).Available only to faculty, students, and staff at the Claremont Colleges,
- UN Statistical Bulletin for Latin America 1964-current; HA751 U5 continued at HA755 A69
- Eurostat: HA1107.5 E895x 1974-current
- Annual Abstract of Statistics, United Kingdom: HA1122 A33 1928-current
- In the same general area of the stacks: Great Britain Guide to Current Official Statistics 1913, 1924-1938 and other international statistics annuals.
- California Demographic Research
Contains state census data, reports and research papers, and more
- California Geographic Information Systems Data
Resource in the library website.
- California Statistical Abstract
Latest edition, from the California Dept. of Finance website.
- Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) A private, non profit organization that seeks to influence California public policy through objective, nonpartisan research.
- Rand California
Available only to users at the Claremont Colleges or connecting to a Claremont Colleges proxy server or modem pool.
- California's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
Program results for 1998, 1999 and 2000. Contains information down to the school level.
- Data and Statistics
Includes Dataquest, Ed-Data, the Data Resource Guide, and Longitudinal education data systems such as CALPADS.
Facts about California schools and districts, such as: Academic Performance Index (API), enrollment, graduates, dropouts.
- California Public K-12 Enrollment Projections
From the California Demographic Research Unit, the current year series by by County
- California Budget
Includes current and historical ebudgets.
- California Economic Indicators, bimonthly issues for 1998-2000
- California Statistical Abstract, latest edition
- California Demographic Research
With Population estimates and projections for California counties and cities. Contains some historical data back to 1941.
Economic and Financial Research
Includes the latest economic data on California, county profiles, economic indicators, the Ca. Statistical Abstract, The Economic Report of the Governor for 2000 and 2006, and Tax Expenditure Reports since 2002.
- Criminal Justice Statistics Center Contains criminal justice reports and statistics online, such as Statistics by City and County, Felony Arrests, and Domestic Violence. A list of publications by topic and year is provided as well as a link to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
- California Cities and Counties: HA 261 C295 1988-Current
Contact Data Services Librarian Mary Martin for help in obtaining raw data files.
Federal Government Data Sites
Federal Government Resources on the Web
Federal Government web pages courtesy the University of Michigan Documents Center. Includes Agency Directories and websites, links to the offices of the President, Congress, and the Judiciary; as well as links to information on the U.S. Budget, Laws, and Federal Regulations.
This government statistics page provides search capability for:
Historical Statistics of the United States [online]
Provided by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
"Many [data] series in these volumes are continued on a regular basis with periodic updates and revisions by the agency, group, or individual responsible for the original data."--Guide to the Millennial ed.
"This definitive reference work contains more than 37,000 annual time series of quantitative historical information covering virtually every quantifiable dimension of American history: population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, governance, and international relations, all from the earliest times to the present" Available only to students, faculty, and staff of The Claremont Colleges
This site is maintained by the U.S. Commerce Department, and is a single access site for the U.S. business, economic and trade information from the Federal government.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and available online from 1995-2002. This publication is a comprehensive source of statistics. It contains statistics on hundreds of subjects and has good source citations.
International Organizations' Statistical Databases
Northwestern University International Documents Collection. Also contains a links page to country governments and to international governmental organizations
Statistical Office of the European Communities
Collects data from the National Statistical Institutes of each of the member states of the European Union.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Provides access to a limited number of statistics. Includes country statistical profiles, Stat Extracts, and the OECD Factbook since 2005.
The International Financial Statistics
Compiled by the the International Monetary Fund. Provides time series data, including data on balance of payments, exchange rates, international liquidity, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production, government accounts, national accounts and population. Available only to faculty, students, and staff at the Claremont Colleges
Provides downloadable data providing a comprehensive statistical survey of indicators on world view, people, environment, economy, states and markets, and global links. Available only to faculty, students, and staff at the Claremont Colleges.
World Bank Data & Research
The point of entry for data on many different aspects of development: poverty, services, the Millenium Development Goals, and more
California State Data
Office of the Attorney General A wide range of information, programs, and services are available: for consumers and businesses, on criminal justice, crime statistics, legal opinions, and more. Library Resources
A wide range of information, programs, and services are available: for consumers and businesses, on criminal justice, crime statistics, legal opinions, and more.