Research Guides: Master in Public Administration Program (MPA): Data & Data Management

Selected Sources of Data

Selected sources of already collected data that may be re-used for other analyses:

Census Data
- Demographic information for US communities
Find popular facts (population, income, etc.) and frequently requested data about your community
Data.gov
Database of the US government’s open data. Provides federal, state and local data, tools, and resources to conduct research, build apps, design data visualizations, and more.
New England Economic Indicators
Provides current and historical economic data for the six states in the First Federal Reserve District (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), large metropolitan areas in the region, New England as a whole, and the United States. Assembled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s New England Public Policy Center.

ICPSR This link opens in a new window
This data archive acquires, processes, and provides access to social science data for research and instruction. ICPSR data cover many disciplines, including political science, sociology, history, economics, gerontology, demography, criminal justice, public health, education, law, and international relations.

Note: Users must register for an account. Current UNH students, faculty, and staff only are eligible for direct downloading of all datasets. Set up ICPSR MyData login account by clicking on the link in the upper left corner of the page.

OpenDOAR - Directory of Open Access Repositories
OpenDOAR is an authoritative directory of academic open access repositories. Each OpenDOAR repository has been visited by project staff to check the information that is recorded here.
Maine.gov Datashare
Provides a catalog of public data that includes access to “raw” data in CSV (comma-separated) and/or KML formats. Datasets are searchable by category, agency, and keywords.
NH State Data Center
Provides direct access to numerous files that contain data about New Hampshire. Most of the data are from the Bureau of the Census, but several other sources are included as well. Usually these files have been modified by the Office of Strategic Initiatives to maximize their efficient use.

Visualizations of data with a geographic aspect can be effective in communication. Selected starting points include

PolicyMap This link opens in a new window
This Geographic Information System tool is for those who need to visualize large amounts of data quickly and easily, even down to the census tract or block group level. Included is an extensive data collection, with indicators organized into general categories including demographics, income and spending, housing, lending activity, quality of life, economy, education, health, federal guidelines, and other analytics.

Census Bureau Maps & Data
Find already prepared maps or use mapping tools to create a custom map using census data

For assistance with using maps and geospatial data:

Geospatial Services Center (GSC) - Dimond Library
GSC is staffed by GIS graduate interns, providing basic-level assistance with geospatial technology and help in finding data sources for analysis using geographic information system software.