Primary Sources

This database provides access to 40,000+ detailed maps and large-scale lithographed street plans of Ohio cities drawn by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company between 1882 and 1962. Sanborn maps are valuable for historical research into urban geography and documenting changes in the built environment of American cities over many decades. The maps include outlines of each building and outbuilding; the location of windows and doors; street names; street and sidewalk widths; property boundaries; fire walls; natural features (rivers, canals, etc.); railroad corridors; building use (sometimes even particular room uses); house and block number; as well as the composition of building materials including the framing, flooring, and roofing materials; the strength of the local fire department; indications of sprinkler systems; locations of fire hydrants; location of water and gas mains; and even the names of most public buildings, churches and businesses.

Updated regularly. Provides easy access to historical census data for the United States. Allows users to visually analyze and understand the demography of any part of the United States with access to the following:

* Interactive thematic maps of historical census data
* Customized reports for any chosen area or areas (including aggregates)
* Complete coverage of the United States, down to neighborhoods and streets
* Simple navigation buttons and a find tool make it easy and efficient to study neighborhoods

Users can examine geographic areas while selecting the type of data to be shown, such as population density or income level. The corresponding data tables are also available.

This online research tool is designed to provide quick and easy access to current and historical US census data and demographic information from 1790-2010, generating maps, data visualizations, and spreadsheets. It creates reports at all geographic levels, including the state, county, census tract, block group, zip code, and census place to show population density, income level, and more. Visually analyze and understand the demography of any part of the United States with access to interactive thematic maps of historical census data. Data sources include the U.S. Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, the FBI Uniform Crime Report, American election results, Religious Congregations and Membership Study (RCMS, updated continuously), Vulcan Project carbon emissions data, U.S. Business Patterns, and County Health Rankings and Roadmaps Program Data. International data is sourced from the United Kingdom Census, Canadian Census, Eurostat, World Development Indicators, and Irish religion and population data. 

This resource provides data on all aspects of American history from colonial times through the year 2000. It is divided into five sections: population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, economic sectors, and governance and international relations. Data series relate to the social, behavioral, humanistic, and natural sciences, including history, economics, government, finance, sociology, demography, education, law, natural resources, climate, religion, international migration, and trade. This database is the electronic counterpart of the 5-volume print publication "Historical Statistics of the United States: Earliest Times to the Present, Millennial Edition."

The Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research maintains an archive of quantitative social science data for research and instruction. Since 1962, ICPSR has collected and made available the datasets of many major government studies in their entirety, along with polls and surveys conducted by organizations and individual researchers. It covers a wide range of social science areas such as population, economics, education, health, social and political behavior, social and political attitudes, history, crime, aging, and substance abuse. Major datasets in ICPSR include the General Social Survey, World and European Values Survey, American National Election Studies, National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, Health and Medical Care Archive, the International Archive of Education Data, and many more.

A dynamic tool to scan and search the contents of billions of datasets from the United States. Compare and contrast variables of interest and create customized views in tables, maps, rankings, and charts. Views also include descriptive summaries of the datasets and data sources. Datasets cover a wide range of subjects – including business, finance, banking, economics, sociology, political science, demography, agriculture, education, international studies, criminal justice, housing and construction, labor and employment, energy resources and industries, and more. Note: access is available for content that predates 12/31/21; any content from 01/01/2022 - present is unavailable. 

Updated regularly. Provides easy access to historical census data for the United States. Allows users to visually analyze and understand the demography of any part of the United States with access to the following:

* Interactive thematic maps of historical census data
* Customized reports for any chosen area or areas (including aggregates)
* Complete coverage of the United States, down to neighborhoods and streets
* Simple navigation buttons and a find tool make it easy and efficient to study neighborhoods

Users can examine geographic areas while selecting the type of data to be shown, such as population density or income level. The corresponding data tables are also available.

This online research tool is designed to provide quick and easy access to current and historical US census data and demographic information from 1790-2010, generating maps, data visualizations, and spreadsheets. It creates reports at all geographic levels, including the state, county, census tract, block group, zip code, and census place to show population density, income level, and more. Visually analyze and understand the demography of any part of the United States with access to interactive thematic maps of historical census data. Data sources include the U.S. Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, the FBI Uniform Crime Report, American election results, Religious Congregations and Membership Study (RCMS, updated continuously), Vulcan Project carbon emissions data, U.S. Business Patterns, and County Health Rankings and Roadmaps Program Data. International data is sourced from the United Kingdom Census, Canadian Census, Eurostat, World Development Indicators, and Irish religion and population data. 

At statista.com, access statistical data for more than 170 industries from over 80,000 topics in areas such as business, education, finance, media, politics, society, and technology. Statista gathers data from over 20,000 sources, including market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases, and the reports, charts, infographics, and statistics can be viewed online or downloaded.