A data source is the initial location where data originates or where information is first digitized. Data sources can provide you with a plethora of valuable information, including statistics, census information, and more.
On this page, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of free data sources so you can find the information you need.
We’ll look at various examples of data sources spanning a wide range of industries and disciplines, including:
- Big data
- Government data
- Healthcare data
- Employment data
- Real estate data
- Financial data
- Economic data
- Marketing data
So, keep reading!
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Free big data sources
Big data is a large, complex data set you can use to discover trends and patterns. Discover the best free big data sources below:
1. Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services provides a registry of open data to help users discover and share datasets. It contains over 348 datasets from various industries, including renewable energy, economics, pediatrics, and much more.
2. Chartr
If you’re looking for easy-to-understand datasets that don’t require extra analysis, look no further than Chartr. Chartr implements data storytelling by using publicly available data to create visualizations that tell stories about various topics and industries.
3. Data Portals
Data Portals is another free source of data with over 590 datasets from around the world. Simply click on your desired location to view a range of information covering topics like employment, population, politics, and more.
4. Google Scholar
Searching for data from scholarly articles, university theses, or academic books? Check out Google Scholar for free articles, books, court opinions, and more to find the data you need.
5. Open Data Network
Looking for a big data source that displays information in a visual, easy-to-understand graphic? Open Data Network is for you. Type in your question, and let Open Data Network answer it for you.
6. Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is one of the best sources of data for businesses and individuals alike. Covering topics like U.S. politics, journalism, and global trends, Pew Research Center likely has the information you need.
7. Statista
Statista is one of the most popular statistic resources available. Whether you want the latest figures on how many people use Amazon or how many people use a smartphone to buy products, Statista has you covered.
Free government data sources
Are you looking for government datasets? Whether you want to view population statistics or economic figures, these free government databases can help.
8. CIA World Factbook
The CIA World Factbook provides facts on every global geographic entity, including history, population, economics, and more.
9. Data.gov
Data.gov is the home of the U.S. government’s open data. This open database has more than 300,000 datasets spanning topics like education, agriculture, transportation, and much more.
10. U.S. Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau contains valuable statistics and information for each state. If you want to view income data or demographic information for a specific area, the U.S. Census Bureau could be an excellent source of data for you.
Free health data sources
Without diving into the best healthcare databases, no list of the best free data sources is complete. Check out our favorite health databases below:
11. America’s Health Rankings
Are you searching for healthcare data from a specific state? America’s Health Rankings is the perfect source of data for you. It provides a collection of public health data on a state-by-state basis.
12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC publishes free public health data and statistics. If you’re looking for data on a specific illness or treatment, the CDC’s publications could be the best data resource for you.
13. Healthdata.gov
Healthdata.gov is a website committed to making health data more accessible. It provides free datasets from treatments, procedures, clinical studies, and more.
14. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Are you searching for data on a specific medication or food? Look no further than the FDA’s data files for all the information you need on drug and food approval in the U.S.
15. World Health Organization
Use WHO’s website to find data and statistics for almost any public health topic in more than 150 countries.
Free employment data sources
Whether you’re looking for how many people work in the agricultural industry or how many manufacturing businesses operate in the U.S., these free employment data resources are for you.
16. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the U.S. government’s employment data collection for specific states, regions, and localities.
17. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor is one of the most popular employment examples of data sources. Whether you want a breakdown of occupation statistics or unemployment data, this website has you covered.
18. U.S. Small Business Administration
Are you conducting market research for your small business to become more competitive? The U.S. Small Business Administration can help you analyze the demand for your products or services, the location of your potential customers, and much more.
Free real estate data sources
Are you searching for the latest insights and trends in the real estate industry? Check out the free real estate databases below:
19. Compstak
Compstack is a free data source for real estate professionals. It provides analyst-reviewed data covering topics like sales comps, recent lease comps, and property details.
20. Realtor.com
Realtor.com is one of the most popular real estate data resources. It offers multiple real estate statistics and metrics for different geographic regions down to a specific zip code.
Free financial data sources
Are you looking for financial data from around the world? Check out these free resources:
21. Global Financial Data
Global Financial Data provides data on over 60,000 corporations spanning 300 years. So, if you’re searching for the best financial data source, look no further than Global Financial Data.
22. Google Finance
Are you searching for the latest financial news? Google Finance provides you with real-time stock quotes, currency conversions, and more.
23. OpenCorporates
OpenCorporates is the largest open database of companies in the world. You can use it to find information about a company’s startup date, address, contact number, and more.
24. UN Comtrade Database
UN Comtrade Database offers free access to global trade data. This excellent free resource can help you find official international trade statistics and analytic tables.
25. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provides quarterly corporate financial reports. So, if you’re looking for financial data about a particular business, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission could be an excellent resource for you.
26. World Bank Open Data
World Bank Open Data provides datasets and statistics on poverty levels, affordability data, commodity prices, and much more.
Free economic data sources
Whether you want historical salary information or inflation rates, these free economic databases can help.
27. Atlas of Economic Complexity
The Atlas of Economic Complexity is Harvard Growth Lab’s research and data visualization tool. You can use it to download and visualize economic data from around the world.
28. Federal Reserve Economic Database
The Federal Reserve Economic Database, also known as FRED, provides data visualizations such as graphs and tables for various economic indicators. These indicators include macroeconomics, international and regional economics, and more.
29. Google Public Data Explorer
Google Public Data Explorer helps you easily find government-published economic data from almost anywhere in the world.
30. International Monetary Fund Economic Data
IMF Economic Data makes it easy to find useful information about the world’s economics. This valuable website provides in-depth regional economic reports, international economic statistics, and much more.
31. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis offers specific datasets and statistics related to the U.S. economy. So, if you’re searching for U.S. economic data, this website could be your perfect resource.
Free marketing data sources
Are you looking for insights to help you improve your marketing strategies? These free marketing data resources can help.
32. Google Trends
Google Trends is a free tool that lets you view data about what the world is searching for on the Internet. It enables you to see how many times a particular search term is entered worldwide.
33. Moz
The Moz blog published various marketing data, including case studies and data analysis covering a range of topics like search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing.
33. WebFX
The WebFX blog is a valuable data source for marketing professionals and businesses. We publish a wide variety of marketing statistics across multiple strategies, including:
- Google Ads statistics
- OTT statistics
- Video marketing statistics
- Online shopping statistics
- Social media advertising statistics
- And much more
Subscribe to our blog today to ensure you never miss out on the latest marketing data and trends!
What is a data source?
A data source is the initial location where data originates or where information is first digitized. Data sources can provide you with a plethora of valuable information, including statistics, census information, and more.
What is the purpose of a data source?
A data source gathers relevant information in one place for easy access and analysis. You can use a data source to find relevant information, like a handy statistic or to learn about current population of a city from census information. You can also use a data source to easily connect and move data to another location, like a new platform or database.
Data source types
Here are two types of data sources:
- Machine data sources:Machine data sources are stored in a system with a user-defined name.
- File data sources:File data sources are editable and copyable. They are stored in a file and allow connection information to be used repeatedly by a single user or shared among several users.
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