Subject and Course Guides: First Year English Research Guide: Data & Statistics

Popular Datasets & Portals

Data.Gov
Data.gov is the home of the US government’s open data.
You can find Federal, state and local data, tools, and resources to conduct research, build apps, design data visualizations, and more.
Texas.Gov: Open Data
Open Data Sources from State of Texas
National Historic Geographic Information Systems (NHGIS)
Census statistics from 1790 to latest decennial and American Community Survey
USDA-NRSC: Geospatial Gateway
Data repository developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Geospatial Data Gateway provides one-stop shopping for natural resources and environmental data.
Texas State Data Center
The Texas State Data Center and Office of the State Demographer, in cooperation with a network of affiliates, functions as a focal point for the distribution of census information for Texas.
American FactFinder
Source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data from Census 2010, 2000, and 1990 Decennial Census, the 1997, 2002, and 2007 Economic Censuses, the American Community Survey, the Population Estimates Program, and the Annual Survey of Manufactures.

SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new window
It is highly recommended to utilize full tunnel VPN for Wi-Fi and off-campus access. See information for VPN installation with Ivanti (formerly known as Pulse Secure). Details to establish the full-tunnel connection can be found here.
A mapping application that lets users quickly create professional-quality thematic maps and reports using powerful demographic, business, and marketing data. Works best with Firefox or Safari. There are known compatibility issues with Chrome when accessing off-campus or through campus WiFi.
Please note only five simultaneous users are allowed.

SimplyAnalytics (was SimplyMap) provides users the most current demographic, business, and marketing data available. It provides the following nation-wide data: Demographic Variables: Population, Age, Race, Income, Ancestry, Marital Status, Housing, Employment, Transportation, Families, and more. Historical census data: including 1980, 1990 & 2000, plus current year census estimates and 5 year projections. Business Variables: Detailed Consumer Expenditure, Business & Employee Counts by Industry (by NAICS Code), Consumer Price Index, Quality of Life & Consumer Profiles, and Market Segments. Life Stage Clusters are a neighborhood classification system based on the crucial factors (84 Possible Life Stages based upon: Age of Head of Households; Marital Status; and Household Income) that determine life's key decisions. EASI/Mediamark Research Inc. (MRI) Propensity Data: Produces current estimates of usage and consumption (propensity) for thousands of very specific and detailed products, including actual brand data, details of frequency of usage, and more; annually prepares estimates for about 3,000+ MRI categories of propensities using updated demographic estimates; and Propensity Data incorporates the following data: Automotive, Beverages, Sports, Ailments/Remedies, Apparel, Appliances, Attitudes/Lifestyles, Baby, Computers, Electronics, Family Restaurants, and Fast Food, Financial, Grocery, Insurance, Internet, Leisure, Media, Personal Care, Pets, Purchasing, Telephony, Travel. Health: Answers to frequently asked questions about disease, health status, doctor visits and more; Health Questions Age 18+ & under 18; and Death Causes Since there is some training required in order to understand a few concepts related to mapping, we highly recommend that you watch our 6 minute tutorial to get the most out of SimplyAnalytics. The tutorial can be accessed by clicking on the "Tutorial" link in the top right corner of SimplyAnalytics.

NOTE: Only 5 simultaneous users allowed.
Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new window
A directory of detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses and 210 million U.S. residents. NOTE: Only 50 simultaneous users allowed.
A directory of detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses and 210 million U.S. residents. Researchers can search by company name, geographic area, business type or by combinations of these criteria. In addition to address and phone number, each entry includes officer names and titles, parent and subsidiary information, SIC and NAICS codes, competitors, and public filings information.

NOTE: Only 50 simultaneous users allowed.
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization serving member colleges and universities by providing access to a large database of machine-readable social science data sets.
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) in a not-for-profit organization providing social sciences quantitative data sets. Subjects in this database include: political science, sociology, demography, history, economics, communication, international relations, gerontology, public health, criminal justice, and education. The archives include almost all major social science studies, including American National Election Study, Eurobarometer, General Social Survey and International Social Survey Program, decennial Census of Population and Housing, Voter News Service exit polls, US Congressional and UN roll call votes, National Crime Victimization Survey, and public opinion polls. Numeric data sets and documentation are contributed by government agencies, organization, research centers, and individual researchers.

Physical & Environmental Data

USDA:NRCS Geospatial Data Gateway
Data repository developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Geospatial Data Gateway. Provides One Stop Shopping for natural resources or environmental data.
National Atlas: Small-Scale Download
All data available in The National Map Small-Scale website can be downloaded at no cost.
Worldclim
WorldClim is a set of global climate layers (climate grids) with a spatial resolution of a square kilometer. They can be used for mapping and spatial modeling in a GIS or other computer program.
U.S. Geological Survey Science Data Catalog
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems.
EPA: Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a publicly available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities reported annually by certain covered industry groups as well as federal facilities.
Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
CIESIN's mission is to provide access to and enhance the use of information worldwide, advancing understanding of human interactions in the environment and serving the needs of science and public and private decision making.
Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment.
EPA - Envirofacts Warehouse
Retrieve information from multiple sources of Envirofacts' System Data for your area of interest.
EPA - EnviroMapper
A single point of access to select U.S. EPA environmental data. This Web site provides access to several EPA databases to provide you with information about environmental activities that may affect air, water, and land anywhere in the US.
EPA Region 6 (South Central)
Serving Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 66 Tribes.