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Government Information Sources: United States

Statistical Sources

Data.gov  https://data.gov

Open source data from U.S. Government sources

United States Census Bureau

http://www.census.gov/en.html

The Leading source of high-quality data about the Nation's people and economy

Census Interactive

https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive.All.html

See especially the American Community Survey

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/subjects.html

Statistical Abstract of the United States (ceased 2011)

http://www.census.gov/library/publications/time-series/statistical_abstracts.html

The authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Library also has 1937-2010 at C 3.134 in Government Documents

Frequently Used Sources by Topic

Climate

U.S. Global Change Research Program

https://www.globalchange.gov/browse/reports

Criminal Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics  http://www.bjs.gov/ 

Statistical information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government

Education
National Center for Education Statistics  http://nces.ed.gov/

Data for public schools, public school systems; limited data on private schools by state, county, individual school or school district.

Energy
Energy Information Administration  https://www.eia.gov/

Data, reports, forecasts, analytical content, and documentation; as tools for user-customized data queries.

Healthcare Costs and Insurance
U.S. Census Bureau   https://www.census.gov/topics/health.html

From Current Population Surveys, American Community Survey, and Survey of Income and Program Participation

Agency for Healthcare Cost and Utilization [DHHS] http://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/index.html

National Health Care Disparities Report

https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/index.html

Immigration (Department of Homeland Security) 

https://www.dhs.gov/topics

See especially Yearbook of Immigration Statistics for Detailed Annual Tables

https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/yearbook/2017

Core reports on immigrants by legal status. Also quantitative studies and research on immigration.

Poverty, Income, Health Insurance
U.S. Census Bureau  http://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty.html

Public Welfare Programs
Social Security Research, Statistics, and Policy https://www.ssa.gov/policy/

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Office of Family Assistance

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/tanf

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Programs (SNAP, WIC, etc.)

https://www.fns.usda.gov/research-analysis

Unemployment 
Bureau of Labor Statistics  http://www.bls.gov/bls/unemployment.htm