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Although the United States Bureau of the Census produces 98% of the government statistics, more than 100 agencies are involved in some sort of statistical activity. It is the sole mission of 11 agencies.
These statistics are compiled because Congress has directed these agencies to compile and disseminate such statistics in order to execute programs these agencies administer… to fulfill various legal and public policy requirements. Some of these agencies such as the Census Bureau date back to the earliest years of the United States.
After the Bureau of the Census, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics is the next prolific producer. It compiles data and statistics dealing primarily with labor economics, including consumer spending, wages and earnings, unemployment, employment costs, and productivity. Major statistical series include:
Consumer Price Index (CPI). Provides monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.
Current Employment Statistics – CES (National). Provides detailed industry data on employment, hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls
Import/Export Price Indexes. Contains data on changes in the prices of nonmilitary goods and services traded between the U.S. and the rest of the world.
Producer Price Indexes (PPI). Measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. The prices included in the PPI are from the first commercial transaction for many products and some services.
State and Metro Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings. Provides detailed industry data on employment, hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and about 400 metropolitan areas and divisions.
Wages by Area and Occupation. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data by geographical regions and occupations.
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). United States Department of Commerce. Produces and collects economic accounts statistics on the national economy in key areas such as economic growth, regional economic development, interindustry relationships, the Nation's position in the world economy, etc.
Bureau of Justice Statistics (DJS). United States Department of Justice. Contains statistics about crime and victims, drugs and crime, the criminal justice system, etc.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Research and Innovative Technology Administration. United States Department of Transportation. Contains statistics on air transportation, border crossing and entry data, freight data and statistics, and other transportation related data.
Economic Research Service (ERS). United States Department of Agriculture. Conducts research, commodity market projections, and outlook analyses, and develops economic and statistical indicators in the following areas: farming and farm households, commodity markets, agricultural trade, food and consumer economics, nutrition and feeding programs, natural resources and the environment, and the domestic rural economy.
Energy Information Administration (EIA). United States Department of Energy. Contains statistics on energy sources, consumption, and related topics.
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). United States Department of Agriculture. Contains statistics on United States agriculture including production and supplies of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances, chemical use, etc.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). United States Department of Education. Collects, analyzes and makes available data related to education in the U.S. and other nations.
National Center for Health Statistics (HHS). United States Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Provides US public health statistics including diseases, pregnancies, births, aging, and mortality.
Tax Statistics. United States Department of Treasury. Internal Revenue Service. Statistics of Income Division. Contains tables, data, etc. on tax information.
Besides the Federal agencies listed above there are over 100 others that are involved in some sort of statistical activity. For access information on Federal agencies, etc. that are involved in statistical activities consult USAgov.
American Statistics Index (ASI).
Index | Microfiche
Indexes federal agency statistical publications. OSU Libraries has the paper indices from 1975-2008 and the microfiche from 1960-2009. The indices contain two parts: the index and the abstract. The microfiche contains the excerpted statistics.
Data and Statistics about the United States. (USA.gov)
Links to Federal Government data and stistical sources.
Data Set Archives: From Government Agencies and Social Science Repositories. (Purdue University. Purdue University Libraries)
Data sets and archival materials from government agencies, etc.
DATA.GOV. (USA.gov.)
Links to statistical resources of the Federal government by topic.
Data-Planet Statistical Datasets. (Sage Publishing)
Access to statistical datasets from Federal, State, etc. agencies and organizations. Access restricted to OSU faculty, staff, students and users in library.
Federal Statistical Agencies. (Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology -FCSM)
Listing of principal statistical agencies with links to their web sites.
FedStats - Agencies (retired)
Although now retired FedStats is still useful identifying federal agencies involved in propagating statistical information.
Guide to U.S. Government Statistics. McLean, VA.: Documents Index.
LAW | OSU Libraries | OhioLink | Online
Annotated guide to nearly 20,000 publications. It includes agency, title, area, and subject indexes. Most of the publications listed in this volume are available either at OSU Libraries or in other OhioLink Libraries.
Guides – U.S. Government Documents: Statistics. (University of Pennsylvania. Penn Libraries)
Links to various statistical resources arranged in broad categories including the weather.
Libguides: Statistics & Data for the Social Sciences. (Tulane University. Howard-Tilton Memorial Library)
Links to various statistical resources arranged in broad categories.
LibGuides: US Government Statistical Agency Websites. (Purdue University. Purdue University Libraries)
Links to various statistical resources arranged alphabetically by agency.
Statistics & Data for the Social Sciences: A Guide: Source: U.S. Government. (Tulane University. Howard-Tilton Memorial Library)
Links to various statistical resources arranged in broad categories
Statistical Programs of the United States Government: Fiscal Year 2017. (Office of Management and Budget. The Executive Office of the President)
Information on the assorted statistical agencies, units and programs of the federal government. Besides giving information the principal statistical agency programs, Chapter 3 covers other federal statistical programs by department.
Statistical Programs of the United States Government: Fiscal Years 2019/2020. (Office of Management and Budget. The Executive Office of the President)
Information on the assorted statistical agencies, units and programs of the federal government including links to associated web sites.
U.S. Government – Statistics. (Monmouth University Library)
Links to various statistical resources arranged in broad categories.
Statistics/Data. (Federal Depository Library Program - FDLP)
Webinars offered through the FDLP Academy Training Repository pertaining to locating statistics in Federal agency websites.
Federal Agency Statistical Reports. (United States Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census)
Provides access to reports available from various statistical agencies.
Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency. Margaret E. Martin, Miron L. Straf and Constance F. Citro. (editors) Committee on National Statistics, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. 3rd. edition. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2005.
Information on providing accurate, timely relevant and objective statistical information for public and policy use.
Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency. Constance F. Citro. (editor) Committee on National Statistics, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. 6th. edition. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 2017.
Information on providing accurate, timely relevant and objective statistical information for public and policy use.
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