LibGuides: Mohave Community College Libraries: Data &amp; Statistics

What is Data & Statistics?

When working on a research paper or project, students often find themselves needing data or statistic to back up their argument. The terms "data" and "statistics" are often used interchangeably in conversation, but there are important distinctions between the two terms.

Data: Raw information recorded and used for the purpose of analysis.

Result of research that was conducted in an experiment, survey, or other study.
Used to create new information.
Is analyzed to answer the "why" or "how."
Use if you truly want to understand or dig into a problem or question in depth. Students in community colleges will typically not need data sets.

Statistics: The result of data analysis.

Charts, tables, or graphs.
Numbers or percentages in articles.
Answers "how much" or "how many."
Use if you are looking for a "quick number" to support your research argument. Students at community colleges often find themselves in need of statistical data.

Use the resources compiled below to search for data and statistics on your topic:

Data & Statistical Sources

American Community Survey (ACS)
ACS helps local officials, community leaders, and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities. It is the premier source for detailed population and housing information about our nation The American Community Survey is part of the U.S. Census Bureau)
Arizona Labor Market
Find the latest data and analysis on the Arizona labor market. Explore labor market information by topic to find custom dashboards, tables and visualizations to help you analyze and interpret the data.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Statistics on crime trends, homicide trends and characteristics, law enforcement management and administration.
CIA World Factbook
The World Factbook provides basic intelligence on the history, people, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, terrorism, and transnational issues for 266 world entities.
Demographic & Health Stat Compiler
The DHS Program STATcompiler allows users to make custom tables based on thousands of demographic and health indicators across more than 90 countries. Customize tables to view indicators by background characteristics, over time, and across countries.
Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)
FRED is an online database consisting of hundred of thousands of economic data time series from scores of national, international, public, and private sources.
General Social Survey Data Set
The GSS has been a reliable source of data to help researchers, students, and journalists monitor and explain trends in American behaviors, demographics, and opinions. You'll find the complete GSS data set on this site, and can access the GSS Data Explorer to explore, analyze, extract, and share custom sets of GSS data.

Migration Policy Institute
The Migration Policy Institute provides accessible and timely data, information, and analysis on immigration and integration issues that cover the major issues on which policymakers and the general public need information. Information is available by topic and region
National Center for Education Statistics
Educational statistics from early childhood through postsecondary education.
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Includes FastStats by topic and full text of of the statistical publications.
Population Reference Bureau
Data are at the core of much of PRB's work to provide rigorous information and distill relevant insights and evidence from it. Access featured indicators, U.S. and international data resources, and the World Population Data Sheet site here.

State Health Facts (Kaiser Foundation)
State Health Facts is a project of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and provides free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States. In some cases, data are available for counties, territories, and other geographies.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics allows you to search for data by subject or topic with a variety of data tools available for use.
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau is the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture.
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Production and supplies of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances, chemical use, and changes in the demographics of U.S. producers are only a few examples.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Statistics and data on drug reports, seizures, arrests. Access to national studies and "fact sheets."
U.S. Elder Index
The Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index), was developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The Elder Index is a measure of the income that older adults need to meet their basic needs and age in place with dignity.
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The Elder Index is specific to household size, location, housing tenure, and health status. It includes the cost of: housing, health care, transportation, food, and, miscellaneous essentials.
United Nations Data
UNdata is a web-based data service for the global user community. It brings international statistical databases within easy reach of users through a single-entry point. Users can search and download a variety of statistical resources compiled by the United Nations (UN) statistical system and other international agencies.
Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis
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(e.g., tourists, students, or workers), applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration enforcement actions.
World Bank Open Data
Data is accessible by country, indicator, or topic, or via a specific database such as World Development Indicators, Gender Statistics, Education Statistics, the Poverty and Equity Database, or one of many others.