LibGuides: U.S. History: Historical Statistics

Historical Statistics

Statistical Abstract of the United States This link opens in a new window
The Statistical Abstract of the United States is a compilation of social, political and economic statistics.
The Statistical Abstract of the United States is a compilation of social, political and economic statistics. The focus is on national data, but some tables cover regions, states, cities, and comparative international statistics. Each table identifies the source of the data. Tables can be downloaded in xls or pdf format.
Divided into broad sections such as Population, Health and Nutrition, Education, Foreign Commerce and Aid, Prices and many others, the database can be searched or browsed to retrieve results that can then be narrowed by source, geography, time period, subject, and other breakdowns.
Historical Statistics of the United States This link opens in a new window
Colonial times - present. Unlimited users. Comprehensive statistics and quantitative facts on US history.
Updated regularly. Provides a standard source for the quantitative facts of American history. Expands and revises information provided in Historical Statistics of the United States, previously produced by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and includes thirty years of new data and scholarship. Footnotes and explanatory information provide instructional information about the data and sources of the data.
Permits users to graph individual tables and create customized tables and spreadsheets reflecting particular areas of interest. Data is downloadable in Excel or CSV; also download entire groups of tables as a zip file.

National Historical Geographic Information Systems (NHGIS)
Provides aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2000.

CQ Voting and Elections Collection This link opens in a new window
1789 - present. Unlimited users. Contains detailed descriptive, statistical and analytical information on United States federal and gubernatorial elections, focusing on campaigns, political parties, and voter demographics.
Contains detailed descriptive, statistical and analytical information on United States federal and gubernatorial elections, focusing on campaigns, political parties, and voter demographics. Data export tools allow for customized data downloads for easy statistical analysis.
Polling the Nations This link opens in a new window
1986 - present. 4 users. A comprehensive compilation of public opinion surveys.
Updated monthly. A comprehensive compilation of public opinion surveys, containing the full text of more than 350,000 questions and responses from 14,000 surveys conducted by 700 polling organizations in the United States and more than 80 other countries.
Roper Center for Public Opinion Research This link opens in a new window
1937 - present. Unlimited users. Locate national US public opinion polls rich in a particular subject.
Provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University, Roper iPoll is the largest collection of public opinion poll data with results from 1935 to the present. Roper iPoll contains nearly 800,000 questions and over 23,000 datasets from both U.S. and international polling firms. Surveys cover any number of topics including, social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs, science, the environment, and much more. When available, results charts, demographic crosstabs and full datasets are provided for immediate download.

Voting America: United States Politics, 1840-2008
Offers a wide spectrum of animated and interactive visualizations of how Americans voted in elections over the past years. You can also find expert analysis and commentary videos that discuss some of the most interesting and significant trends in American political history.

Social Explorer This link opens in a new window
1790 - present. Unlimited users. Data and interactive thematic maps from the U.S. Census from 1790-present.
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.