Datasets for the Social Sciences

Available through ICPSR, the ICVS is a collection of surveys of householders' experience with crime, policing, crime prevention, and feelings of insecurity in a large number of nations. Sample size is generally, 1,000 - 2,000 households from each participating country.

The NACJD preserves and distributes computerized crime and justice data from Federal agencies, state agencies, and investigator initiated research projects. They have a collection of online Resource Guides that highlight popular criminal justice research topic.

Previously called the National Crime Survey (NCS), has been collecting data on personal and household victimization since 1973. An ongoing survey, conducted twice each year, of a nationally representative sample of residential addresses.

Information on demographic, socioeconomic, and criminal history characteristics of inmates including: age, ethnicity, education, gun possession and use, lifetime drug use and alcohol use and treatment, prior incarceration record, and prearrest annual income and details of inmates' military service records. Data on characteristics of victims are provided as well.

The surveys were started in 1977, covering five-year intervals from 1970-1994. Starting in 1995 surveys cover two- or three-year intervals. Sample Size: The number of participating countries varies by sweep.

This Violence Against Women (VAW) Resource Guide was designed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) staff to provide easy access to data collections on the topic of violence against women, such as Quick Links to certain types of VAW studies and links to studies available for online data analysis. This resource guide also provides useful information for the secondary analysis of these data collections, such as customized help pages for complex data collections, information about how to obtain restricted access data, and links to funding opportunities and publications.

Available through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Uniform Crime Reports includes data from over 18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies.

This is an archived sourcebook of data from over 100 published and unpublished sources complied from cities, states, and regions in the United States.

A program of the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics that annually collects fiscal and non-fiscal data about all public schools, public school districts and state education agencies in the United States.

IPEDS is a system of surveys designed to collect data from all primary providers of postsecondary education. Study components include earned degrees/completions, fall enrollment, staff, finance, institutional characteristics, salaries, tenure, and fringe benefits of full-time instructional faculty.

Monitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. Each year, a total of approximately 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are surveyed (12th graders since 1975, and 8th and 10th graders since 1991).

Contains statistical information on all levels of U.S. education - early childhood, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary.

A sample of eighth-graders surveyed in 1988 on a range of topics. A sample were resurveyed through four follow-ups in 1990, 1992, 1994, and 2000. The study has four types of data files - student, teacher, parent, and school - although note each type is available for each survey year.

The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) provides descriptive data on the educational activities of the U.S. population and offers researchers, educators, and policymakers a variety of statistics on the condition of education in the United States.

A set of surveys designed to gather information at multiple points in time on the labor market activities and other significant life events of several groups of men and women. For more than 4 decades, NLS data have served as an important tool for economists, sociologists, and other researchers.

Examines the characteristics of students in postsecondary education, with special focus on how they finance their education.

"The mission for the Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD) is to provide educators, researchers, and students with data resources so that they can produce analysis of issues affecting racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States."

The purpose of SDDS is to help community leadership, educators, researchers and analysts, libraries and information providers, students, and the public to access and use demographic data to help them better understand current demographic characteristics, patterns and change taking place, as well as plan for improved educational programs and opportunities."

Survey of the characteristics and conditions of America's public and private schools and the teachers and principals who work in them.

In addition to SESTAT, a comprehensive and integrated system of information about the employment, educational, and demographic characteristics of scientists and engineers, this site also makes available several surveys of recipients of higher education.

Conducts research on Chicago's public schools, the problems they face, and the mechanisms for improvement. Includes surveys of students, teachers, and principals, and compiles test scores, grade files and administrative histories. The archive also houses additional data including census data for Chicago, crime statistics, administrative history, data on students, and detailed information on 363 Chicago neighborhoods.

Data on Healthcare costs and utilization, medical expenditures and more

These files are county-based data files, summarizing secondary data from a wide variety of sources, which are useful for analysis of the health care system. They each contain over 3,000 data elements from all counties in the U.S.

A collection of open data sets including population surveys, vital records, provider surveys, and historical surveys.

The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program has collected, analyzed, and disseminated accurate and representative data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition through more than 300 surveys in over 90 countries.

GHO is the World Health Organization's gateway to health-related statistics from around the world. The GHO will provide access to an interactive repository of health statistics. Users will be able to download data sets in various formats, display data for selected indicators, health topics, countries and regions, and download the customized tables in Excel format.

Government page that contains databases, tools, data collaboration from organizations across the Federal Government.

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) is a set of large-scale surveys of families and individuals, their medical providers, and employers across the United States. MEPS is the most complete source of data on the cost and use of health care and health insurance coverage.

From this website you can access the many various surveys and data collection systems sponsored by the NCHS.

The NCHHSTP Atlas was created to provide an interactive platform for accessing data collected by CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP). This interactive tool provides CDC an effective way to disseminate data, while allowing users to observe trends and patterns by creating detailed reports, maps, and other graphics.

This site makes available data from some of the Population Research Center's projects. Interesting datasets include the National Health and Social Life Survey, the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey, and the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey. These surveys profile sexual behavior, demography and health.

A collection of data sources and repositories for specific data types and disciplines, supported by the National Institute of Health.

Established in 1984 to track behavioral health risk in the United States. Behavior and risk categories include: exercise, being overweight, use of seatbelts, tobacco and alcohol, etc.

Monitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. Each year, a total of approximately 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are surveyed (12th graders since 1975, and 8th and 10th graders since 1991).

Drug and alcohol use incidence and prevalence estimates and report the consequences and patterns of use and abuse in the general U.S. civilian population aged 12 and older. Also asks a set of questions about mental health treatment.

Survey of voting behavior in the United States, conducted biennially since 1956. Basic questions on religious identification and attendance at religious services have been asked throughout the time series, but the religion module was widened starting in 1990. Contains links to download all the data.

The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) is a collaborative program of cross-national research among election studies conducted in over fifty states.

Detailed data on campaign contributions and expenditures by candidates, parties, and committees.

The purpose of this data series was to provide large-scale scientific surveys and make possible in-depth investigation of the political attitudes, perceptions, and electoral behaviors of a large, representative national sample of adult Black Americans. The studies permit analyses and change in the Black community on a scale that had not been possible before the series began.

The Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project, launched in 2001 as the Pew Hispanic Center, seeks to improve public understanding of the diverse Hispanic population in the United States and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the nation.
The project conducts public opinion surveys that aim to illuminate Latino views on a range of social matters and public policy issues, including its annual National Survey of Latinos. It also publishes demographic studies and other social science research on a wide range of topics, including economics and personal finances, Hispanic/Latino identity, education, health care, immigration trends, the Latino vote, technology adoption, youth and work and employment.

This study contains data on 6,754 political instability events in 84 selected nations in the period 1948-1965. These data, which permit measurement of political instability and the correlates of internal conflict behavior, are concerned with conflict directed by groups and individuals in the prevailing political system against other groups or persons, and with uncovering the determinants of stability within all national political systems.

The Polity IV dataset covers all major, independent states in the global system over the period 1800-2018 (i.e., states with a total population of 500,000 or more in the most recent year; currently 167 countries). With the support of the Political Instability Task Force, the Polity IV Project has been transformed into a living data collection effort, meaning that it constantly monitors regime changes in all major countries and provides annual assessments of regime authority characteristics, changes and data updates.

The United States Historical Election Returns series was developed by ICPSR and was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. ICPSR's holdings of historical election data cover the years 1788-1990 and consist of several discrete datasets that contain county- and state-level returns for all elections to the offices of president, governor, United States senator, and United States representative.

The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.

Little Village, a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, is the largest Mexican community in the Midwestern United States. The Little Village Survey consists of business and household surveys.

The purpose of this data series was to provide large-scale scientific surveys and make possible in-depth investigation of the political attitudes, perceptions, and electoral behaviors of a large, representative national sample of adult Black Americans. The studies permit analyses and change in the Black community on a scale that had not been possible before the series began.

Developed to provide comprehensive data to test different theoretical explanations for minority underachievement in higher education of college students at regular intervals. The survey includes equal-sized samples of white, black, Asian, and Latino freshmen entering selective colleges and universities.

National Survey of Black Americans 1979-1980, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1992 (ICPSR)
The survey investigates neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, self-esteem, life satisfaction, employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, interaction with family and friends, racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology.

Nationally-representative sample of 1,220 Latino respondents ages 18 and older.This survey focused on politics and the upcoming 2012 presidential election, identity, attitudes regarding immigration and enforcement, and values.

A non-partisan research organization to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the United States. Downloadable datasets include the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation, the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Education, and the 2002 National Survey of Latinos

"The mission for the Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD) is to provide educators, researchers, and students with data resources so that they can produce analysis of issues affecting racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States."

Survey of voting behavior in the United States, conducted biennially since 1956. Basic questions on religious identification and attendance at religious services have been asked throughout the time series, but the religion module was widened starting in 1990. Contains links to download all the data.

ARDA holds over 200 surveys on religion, including general population surveys, surveys of selected religious groups, surveys of religious professionals, and aggregate church, congregational and denominational data

The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.

A nationally representative study of congregations carried out via interviews with congregational informants, mostly clergy. Conducted in conjunction with the 1998 General Social Survey (GSS). Respondents reported on a wide variety of congregational activities. A sample size of 1236.

The BERMAN JEWISH DATABANK @ THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA is the central online address for quantitative studies of North American Jews and Jewish communities. The DataBank offers open access to a wide range of national, local and topical studies – all including reports and many including data files.

The series is designed to enable a crossnational comparison of values and norms on a wide variety of topics and to monitor changes in values and attitudes across the globe. A variety of questions on religion and morality were included. Data is currently available for 1981-1984, 1990-1993, 1995-1997, 1999-2004,2005-2008, 2010-2014, and 2017-2020.

(DSDR) aims to serve the demographic community by archiving, preserving, and disseminating data relevant for population studies.

Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, expectation of further children, etc. Background information such as marital history, education, income, religion, social characteristics, and place of residence was also collected.

Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, desired family size, future childbearing intentions and expectation of further children.

National Survey of Family Growth (1973, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1995)
Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, desired family size, and expectation of further children.The survey also reports background information about the respondent and her husband, such as education, religion, ethnic origin, occupation, and earnings.

This site makes available data from some of the Population Research Center's projects. Interesting datasets include the National Health and Social Life Survey, the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey, and the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey. These surveys profile sexual behavior, demography and health.

The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.

The British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey series began in 1983, and has been conducted every year since, except in 1988 and 1992.

Large set of surveys measuring public opinion in the countries of the European Union, on a wide variety of topics.

EVS "was initiated by the European Value System Study Group (EVSSG) in the late 1970s. It is a large-scale, cross-national, and longitudinal survey research program on how Europeans think about family, work, religion, politics and society. Four waves of surveys were administered from 1981 to 2008 in an increasing number of countries. The surveys explore value differences, similarities, and value changes."

The GSS contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. The GSS takes the pulse of America, and is a unique and valuable resource.

Monitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. Each year, a total of approximately 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are surveyed (12th graders since 1975, and 8th and 10th graders since 1991).

The Pew Research Center is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues.

The series is designed to enable a crossnational comparison of values and norms on a wide variety of topics and to monitor changes in values and attitudes across the globe. A variety of questions on religion and morality were included. Data is currently available for 1981-1984, 1990-1993, 1995-1997, 1999-2004,2005-2008, 2010-2014, and 2017-2020.