UCSC Library - How To Find Statistical Sources

Published statistics can be very useful in answering these kinds of questions. Statistical tables present numbers and measurements related to the social world that can be used to support a research hypothesis.

Where statistics come from

Most of the statistical information you will need to produce good research comes from the federal, state, county and city governments. The U.S. government provides more statistics than any other entity in the world. It is required to collect and analyze vast amounts of data in order to satisfy legal mandates and to plan for social programs. Publishing reliable, comprehensive and comparable data on national demographic, social and economic trends is so complex that only the federal government has the facilities and the funds to accomplish it. More than 100 government agencies are authorized to collect and disseminate statistics.

Points to keep in mind

Statistics may not exist for all the variables you want to compare. Statistics are compiled for specific purposes and it is impossible to gather all data of interest to everyone.
The most recent statistics available may be several years old. It takes time to compile statistics after the data has been collected.
Some statistics are not freely available (i.e. marketing and financial data collected by private organizations).
Any information that could identify an individual is removed when statistics are compiled.

GETTING STARTED

Start with the Statistical Abstract of the United States. www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html. It is your best one-stop shopping source for statistics on many topics. [In Print, call number HA202 .U5. Most recent edition available at the McHenry Reference and Government Publications desks, and Science and Engineering reference stacks].

Note: these sources are arranged geographically with California sources listed first, followed by United States and international sources when applicable. Santa Cruz area sources are arranged by topic at the end of this section.

Population & Demographics
Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics ranging from U.S. Census data, to California economy, education, crime, births and deaths.

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Population and Demographics"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Contains U.S., California, county, and city population estimates, including population estimates by race, ethniticy, and age for most areas. It also includes population projections, border crossing and immigration statistics, and vital statistics. [description from RAND California]

California Statistical Abstract McH Ref Desk HA261.C3 www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/FS_DATA/stat-abs/sa_home.htm (Also available through Counting California) Collection of detailed information on social, economic, environmental, and physical aspects of California.

California Cities Towns and Counties McH Ref Desk HA261.C295 [print only]
One page profiles of every incorporated city and town and county in California. Includes demographics, housing, school system, and municipal finances

American Factfinder factfinder.census.gov/
Provides tables and maps of census data for the United States, California, and California counties and cities. Includes population and housing characteristics, age, race, income and poverty.

World Development Indicators www.worldbank.org/data/wdi/index.htm (Selected indicators for current year only)
Includes population growth, birth and death rates, as well as economy and education
To find more indicators, reports and statistics from approx 1960+ use WDI online [UCSC only]

CIAO [UCSC only] http://www.ciaonet.org/
Provides policy briefs, case studies, maps and country data. Select Maps/Country Data to for statistics by country or region, or to create statistical comparison tables between countries for land area, population, birth and death rates, exports, imports, debt, GDP, labor force and military expenditures.

United Nations Demographic Yearbook McH Ref Desk HA17.D45 [print only].
World population, rate of increase for births and deaths, legal abortions, marriage by age of bride and groom, divorce rates.

Statistical Yearbook McHenry Library CD-ROM area
From the United Nations Statistical Division, this CD-ROM database contains social and economic statistics on countries around the world. Categories include agriculture and manufacturing, education and literacy, energy and environment, labor force and wages, and financial statistics. The CD-ROM is the electronic version of the print monograph, call number HA12.5 .U63. Covers 1980 - 1997.

Business, Economy, Labor
Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics ranging from U.S. Census data, to California economy, education, crime, births and deaths. Economic information includes cost of living, work, labor and employment, income, poverty, business and industry.

California Economic Indicators Gov Pubs Ref HC107.C2C223 www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/FS_DATA/indicatr/ei_home.htm
Summary of economic trends, employment, home prices, unemployment claims, etc.

California Labor Market Bulletin www.calmis.cahwnet.gov/htmlfile/pubs.htm
Labor force data for state and counties, umemployment by race and ethnicity

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Business and Economics"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. contains information on employment, unemployment, industry and occupational wages, occupational projections, construction and real estate (including housing prices and foreclosures, and non-residential vacancy rates), inflation, foreign trade, retail and taxable sales, sales tax rates, gross state product, personal and per capita income, farm income, and airport operating statistics. [description from RAND California]

Bureau of Labor Statistics www.bls.gov/
U.S. labor information in one spot. Find labor, unemployment, and general economic statistics in addition to reports and publications issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Survey of Current Business /www.bea.doc.gov/bea/pubs.htm
U.S. production, per capita and personal income, national product and income accounts. Each monthly issue covers a special topic, i.e. business situation, personal savings information, etc

Economic Statistics Briefing Room www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/esbr.html
Most recent U.S. Economic statistics in one spot. Includes many of the indicators supplied by the Survey of Current Business plus securities markets, transportation, and international statistics.

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Profiles and Reports [UCSC only] db.eiu.com/
Searchable database of country profiles provides analysis and forecasts of the political, economic, social, and business environment in a total of 126 reports about more than 180 countries.

CIAO [UCSC only] http://www.ciaonet.org/
Provides policy briefs, case studies, maps and country data. Select Maps/Country Data to for statistics by country or region, or to create statistical comparison tables between countries for land area, population, birth and death rates, exports, imports, debt, GDP, labor force and military expenditures.

Criminal Justice
Crime in California (formerly Crime and Delinquency in California) Gov Pubs Ref HV7254.C2C74
Scroll to publication year at http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/publications/candd/pub.htm
Crimes and crime trends, arrests by crime category, prisons and prison expenditures

California Criminal Justice Profile. Statewide Gov Pubs Ref HV7254.C2C746
Select report year at http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/publications/profiles/pub.htm
Supplement to Crime and Delinquency in California. Includes crimes, arrests by types, etc.

Offender Information Reports www.bpt.ca.gov/ReportsResearch/OffenderInformation.htm California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Provides demographic characteristics of the prison population, as well as detailed reports about recidivism, behavior, DNA collection, parolees, time served, etc.

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Community"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Provides information on crime rates, domestic violence, etc.

Bureau of Justice Statistics www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
Find statistics about crime and victims, criminal offenders, law enforcement, prosecution, courts and sentencing, corrections, etc.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (Criminal Justice Abstracts) www.ncjrs.org/
Search the abstracts of over 170,000 publications, or select full text publications to find statistics and information about crime, offenders, etc.

Sourcebook of U.S. Criminal Justice Statistics Gov Pubs Ref HV6787.S68 /www.albany.edu/sourcebook/
Includes statistics on crimes and victims, as well as public opinion polls. Many tabulations presented by age, sex, race, and geographic area.

Uniform Crime Reports for the United States Gov Pubs Ref HV6787.A1 A3 /www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm
Published by the FBI. Reports crime statistics aggregated from multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies. Includes crime index, violent and property crimes, and hate crimes.

Vital Statistics and Health
Calif. Dept of Health Services www.dhs.ca.gov/home/statistics/default.htm
Presents data on teen births, AIDS survival rates and deaths, maternal and child health.

Vital Statistics of California McH Ref Desk HA261.C351 [print only]
Births by age and ethnicity of mother; deaths by cause, age, and sex. Includes population projections

Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics. Presents vital statistics information such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, as well as disabilities, and health facilities.

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Health and Socioeconomic"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Provides information about AIDS, child abuse, food stamps, and drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

National Center for Health Statistics www.cdc.gov/nchs/
Includes births and deaths, leading cause of death, drinking, cancer and other health topics.
Select Publications and Information Products www.cdc.gov/nchs/products.htm to find other comprehensive reports (e.g. National Vital Statistics), and series, data warehouse, and fact sheets, etc. Note: To find the publication "Where to Write for Vital Records", look under Ordering Information and then "Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates".

Health United States S&E Ref RA407.3.U57 and www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm
Most comprehensive report on the health of the U.S. Includes national trends regarding birth and death rates, infant mortality, life expectancy, morbidity and health status, risk factors, and health insurance.

World Health Organization Statistical Information System (WHOSIS) www3.who.int/whosis/menu.cfm
Comprehensive source of "health and health-related epidemiological and statistical information available from the World Health Organization, and elsewhere". Presents data on births, deaths, infant mortality, life expectancy, childhood immunization, and diseases by age and sex. Keyword searching available.

Education
California Department of Education Factbook www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/fb/
Provides information on achievement tests, enrollment, ethnic makeup, teacher credentials and experience, number of computers in schools, library resources.

DataQuest data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/
Find statistics about California schools. Most subjects are searchable at the school, school district, county and state level. Provides test scores, course enrollment, dropouts, physical fitness, projected teacher hires, special education, etc.

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Education"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Find statistics on school enrollment, class size, revenues, test scores, etc. Many of the categories are searchable by zip-code.

National Center of Education Statistics nces.ed.gov/
Find the nation's "report card", etc. Brings together multiple education statistics publications, international comparisons.

Condition of Education nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/
Educational enrollment by age, academic performance, attainment by race, earnings of young adults, community and parental involvement.

UNESCO Institute for Statistics www.uis.unesco.org/
International statistics compiled by country concerning education, science and technology, culture, media, and libraries. Includes educational enrollment by age and gender, illiteracy rates, etc. Click on "Database Access" to see largest collection of statistics.

Energy, Agriculture and Environment
California Energy Commission www.energy.ca.gov/
Statistics on energy usage including electricity, gasoline/diesel and natural gas

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Community"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Find information about State Parks, air quality, etc.

Energy Information Administration www.eia.doe.gov/
Supply and demand, consumption, distribution, price of energy, by energy source. Historical data and forecasts

California Statistical Abstract www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/FS_DATA/stat-abs/sa_home.htm and McH Ref Desk HA261.C3 (Also available through Counting California)
Collection of detailed information on social, economic, environmental, and physical aspects of California.

USDA Economics & Statistics System usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/
Searchable database provides reports and datasets for agricultural production, international agricultural issues, rural affairs, and trade issues

Window to my Environment www.epa.gov/enviro/wme/
Search by address or zip code to find superfund sites, facilities that handle hazardous wastes, beach advisories/closures, etc. in your area. Produced by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Politics
Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics. Provides information on election results, voter participation, and voter registration.

RAND California [UCSC only] ca.rand.org/ Click on "Databases" then "Politics and Public Opinion"
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Find election returns for all elected offices in California as well as Presidential and Congressional elections back to 1996.

America Votes McH Ref JK1967.A8 [print only]
Voter turnout, Senate, House, and Gubernatorial election results. Presidential elections by popular and electoral votes. Voting breakdown by state and congressional district for general and primary elections.

Book of the States McH Ref Desk JK2403 .B6 [print only]
Voting statistics for gubernatorial races. Also provides state breakdown of revenues and expenditures for health, education, criminal justice and labor.

Polling the Nations poll.orspub.com/poll/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm [UCSC only]
Online version of the American Public Opinion Index, is a compilation of more than 14,000 surveys and polls conducted by more than 700 polling organizations in the United States and more than 80 other countries from 1986 to the present. Each of the nearly 350,000 records reports the question, the responses given, and the source.

Open Secrets www.opensecrets.org/
Track campaign finance statistics, and find out which politician has the most or the least cash. Profiles of spending for congressional and presidential races.

RAND California ca.rand.org/ [UCSC only]
Database of statistics on the state of California and the U.S. from the RAND think tank. Contains information at the zip code, county, city and state level. Topics range from education to employment to housing.

California Statistical Abstract www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/FS_DATA/stat-abs/sa_home.htm, McH Ref Desk HA261.C3 (Also available through Counting California)
Collection of detailed information on social, economic, environmental, and physical aspects of California. Not all tables have information at the county or city level.

State & County QuickFacts quickfacts.census.gov/qfd
Commonly requested state and county information grouped in one place, with links to more detailed census data resources. Population, housing, race, housing units, women owned businesses, retail sales, etc.

Community Assessment Project. Comprehensive Report. McHenry Reference and Gov Pubs Ref Desk HN79 C22 S45 www.appliedsurveyresearch.org/www/cap_report.htm. PDF files include demographic profile, economic, health, education, public safety, natural and social environment issues.

Health & Education
Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics. Presents vital statistics information such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, as well as disabilities, and health facilities.

Community Assessment Project. Comprehensive Report. GovPubs Ref HN79 C22 S45 www.appliedsurveyresearch.org/www/cap_report.htm. PDF files include demographic profiles, economy, health, education, public safety, natural and social environment issues.

Community Indicators of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Risk, [large PDF document]
www.adp.cahwnet.gov/risk_indicators.shtml. Scroll to link for Santa Cruz County to retrieve document. Provides indicators relating to health, education and crime as it pertains to alcohol and other drug use. Includes crime rates, high school drop out rates, AIDS/HIV incidence, drug treatment admissions, hospital discharge rates due to alcohol and drug dependence, and deaths due to drugs and alcohol. Provides state and county comparisons for all indicators.

Financial Assistance by Geographic Area (FARS/FAGA) [Large PDF document] McH Stacks HC110.P63U485a 1985+
www.dpm.psc.gov/faga/fy04/fy04.aspx?explorer.event=true Select FARS/FAGA from left column, then select a fiscal year.
The report from Health and Human Services provides data on federal funding supplied to states and counties for health care, mental health, alcohol and drug programs, child care, and TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families). Also shows funding for private and university research.

Santa Cruz County Office of Education District Demographic Data sea.santacruz.k12.ca.us/eddata/edsite.html. Find information organized by school district. Includes STAR reports, district financial statements, demographic profiles with links to enrollment and ethnic enrollment trends, expenditures per pupil, bond and parcel tax elections.

Business, Economics, Labor
Metropolitan Area at a Glance for Santa Cruz-Watsonville http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ca_santacruz_msa.htm
Labor statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Statistics. Includes employment, unemployment, and Consumer Price Index.

Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics. Economic information includes cost of living, work, labor and employment, income, poverty, business and industry.

State of the Cities Data System (SCODS) socds.huduser.org/index.html
Find information by selecting the Santa Cruz metropolitan area (Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA PMSA). Provides links to demographic and economic characteristics (including some historical data), latest available unemployment rates, jobs, business establishments, and average pay in the 1990s, violent and property crime rates, information on local building permits.

California County Profiles, www.dof.ca.gov/html/fs_data/profiles/pf_home.htm
Data from CA department of Finance. Contains data for California and each of its 58 counties. Includes population, educational enrollment and spending, labor force and employment by industry, housing stock, residential/nonresidential construction, home prices, manufacturing industry/timber production, agricultural data, such as number of farms, employment, and value of production, local government tax collections and expenditures.

MapStats for Santa Cruz County www.fedstats.gov/mapstats/more.data/06087.html Produced by FedStats, the U.S. Government's statistical website. Provides statistics collected by government agencies, such as field crops, population demographics (immigration, income and poverty, selected Census data), business (personal income, women owned business, economic census, etc.), crimes reported to the police, Environmental Protection Agency regulated facilities and general profile from USA Counties.

Crime
Counting California countingcalifornia.cdlib.org/
Searchable and browsable compilation of California statistics. Crime information covers crime rates and prison population.

Criminal Justice Profile. Santa Cruz County Gov Pubs Ref HV7254.S2673C7 caag.state.ca.us/cjsc/pubs.htm
Includes crimes and crime trends, arrests by crime category, etc. Supplement to Crime and Delinquency in California.

Community Indicators of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Risk, Santa Cruz County [large PDF document]
www.adp.cahwnet.gov/risk_indicators.shtml. Scroll to link for Santa Cruz County to retrieve document. Provides indicators relating to health, education and crime as it pertains to alcohol and other drug use. Provides statistics on reported crimes, arrests for drug and alcohol related offenses, domestic violence calls for assistance, high school drop out rates, AIDS/HIV incidence, drug treatment admissions, and deaths due to drugs and alcohol. Provides state and county comparisons for all indicators.

Housing
Rental Housing Statistics www.nlihc.org/index.html
Data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. To find Santa Cruz information select: Publications, then choose "Out of Reach 2001: America’s Growing Wage-Rent Disparity", click the highlighted title then select "Click here to view Out of Reach housing affordability information for your state or county". Select California from the list, then select Santa Cruz- Watsonville, CA

General Information
Statistical Websites for Santa Cruz County www.santacruzpl.org/ref/localstats.shtml
From the Santa Cruz Public Library. Includes an excellent list of current and historical statistical sites. Provides links to sites which contain general demographic information, agriculture, crime, economics, employment, health, housing, income, schools and the weather.

These sources provide statistics and will lead you to more detailed sources:
Fedstats www.fedstats.gov/ : Searchable directory provides links to statistics available on U.S. federal government web sites
Statistical Sources on the Web www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html: (University of Michigan Documents Center) Search by topic: foreign trade, government finances, etc.
RAND California ca.rand.org/ [UCSC access only] Database of statistics on the state of California, its counties, and cities. Includes public policy, business, economy, demographics, education, and environmental research information. Also contains monthly reports on the California economy.
Librarian's Index to the Internet lii.org/search/file/statistics: Listing of statistical sources by topic. Brief descriptions provided for every source as well as useful links to related information.
Childstats www.childstats.gov/: Single comprehensive source of statistics on children and families in the United States. Browse through reports or visit "Search Related Resources" and "Whom can I contact for Federal statistics on children and families?"
ICPSR www.icpsr.umich.edu/ [UCSC access only] Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. Comprehensive archive of detailed data sets in the social sciences. Requires knowledge of specialized statistical programs such as SPSS or SAS. For additional assistance, refer to the Membership section (www.icpsr.umich.edu/membership/ors.html) and find "Santa Cruz" to obtain contact information for the campus Official Representative.

Find Books and other library resources (journals, government documents, etc.) in the UCSC Library:
Use CRUZCAT (Library Research page/Quick Links/CRUZCAT)

Start with one of these databases, depending on your topic:
Expanded Academic ASAP: Citations to articles (many full-text online) in the humanities, social sciences, sciences.
ABI/Inform: Citations to articles (some full-text online) in business, economics and finance.

Find Reports:
The following sources contain detailed descriptions of statistical reports and will lead you to other sources. They can be challenging to use, particularly for the novice. Ask Reference staff for assistance, if you have difficulty.

American Statistics Index (ASI): Index to U.S. Government produced statistics and statistical reports (federal agencies, Bureau of the Census, etc.). Covers government finance, government programs, population characteristics, aid to foreign countries, etc. Gov Pubs Ref HA37.U55A6

Index to International Statistics (IIS): Statistics for foreign countries and United Nations reports. Also includes reports from organizationis such as the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, etc.. Covers population, business, financial activities, foreign trade, education, health, and political characteristics. Gov Pubs Ref HA154.I53

Statistical Reference Index (SRI): Selective guide to statistical publications from private organizations and state government sources. Covers business, industry, finance, social trends, and government programs. Gov Pubs Ref HA214.S73

If you don't find the publication, consult government publications or reference staff for assistance.