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Use this page to find the right datasets for your research question.

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By Research Question

I want to understand income or wage inequality

• FRED — Inequality & Distribution Series: Quick charts on the Gini coefficient, income shares, and wage growth over time. Best for historical context fast.
• Current Population Survey (CPS) ASEC: The gold-standard source for annual household income data, disaggregated by race, gender, family type, and income source. Published by Census/BLS each spring.
• American Community Survey (ACS): More geographic detail than the CPS — use this for state- or county-level inequality analysis.
• Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF): The Federal Reserve's survey of household wealth and assets, published every 3 years. The best source for wealth (not just income) inequality.

I want to research corporate power or market concentration

• Economic Census: The official 5-year measure of employer businesses in the U.S. — the primary source for industry concentration and market structure data.
• SEC Statistics and Data Visualizations: Public company filings, executive compensation data, and shareholder information.
• BEA — National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA): Corporate profits in the national accounts. See also the Guide: BEA Corporate Profits Data.
• IBISWorld: Industry-level revenue, employment, and market share data. Subscription — available through institutional libraries.

I want to research the workforce, jobs, or unions

• Current Population Survey (CPS): The primary source for monthly employment and unemployment statistics, including union membership data.
• American Community Survey (ACS): Detailed occupation and industry data at the state and local level.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: The central source for labor market data — unemployment, wages, productivity, strikes, and union membership.
• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): Annual wage and employment estimates by occupation and industry, down to the metropolitan area level.

I want to research housing or household wealth

• American Community Survey (ACS): Housing cost, tenure, and conditions at the local level. The best source for geographic detail on housing.
• Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF): Household-level wealth, debt, and assets — the most comprehensive wealth survey available.