Data

There are four general categories of data on which qualified researchers may perform statistical analysis inside the secure ARDC.

Public-use Census data are not directly available at the ARDC. However, pending approval from CES, outside data sets may be brought in and matched to non-public Census microdata.

Census Bureau Data

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Economic Data: Censuses and surveys of business establishments and firms. With very few exceptions, no public use files exist for these surveys. This also includes Trade and Transactions data.

• List of Economic datasets in the RDCs

Demographic Data: Censuses and surveys of households and individuals. Most of these datasets are released as public use files, but the versions in the secure RDC are not the public use versions. These restricted RDC versions include a more complete geography (in some cases down to the block). Also, items such as income are often not top coded. Individual identifiers such as name, address, and social security numbers have been removed.

• List of Demographic datasets available in the RDCs

Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) Data: LEHD uses unemployment insurance records to match employer data with employee data.

• List of LEHD datasets available in the RDCs
• Abowd et al. paper on LEHD

UMETRICS Data: Microdata on research grants and projects linked to Census Data on employment and employers.

• Dataset information

Bureau of Labor Statistics Data

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All BLS restricted data available to researchers are based on released data.

• Employment and Unemployment
• Compensation and Working Conditions
• Prices and Living Conditions

Bureau of Economic Analysis Data

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BEA collects company data about international transactions, foreign direct investment, the activities of multinational enterprises, and trade in services.

• BEA Special Sworn Data overview
• List of BEA’s Direct Investment Surveys
• List of BEA’s Service Surveys

Health Data

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ARDC provides access to restricted NCHS and AHRQ datasets for approved proposals. To obtain approval, submit a proposal to the appropriate agency.

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS):

• List of NCHS datasets available in the RDC
• NCHS Research Data Center (RDC) Home

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):

• Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Historical Data

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• Recovered Census Data
• Recovered Historical Business Data
• Recovered Historical Demographic Data

RDC Datasets Available by Topic

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(For more information on the following datasets, go to the lists of Economic Datasets or Demographic Datasets.)

Crime and Criminal Justice:

• National Crime Victimization Survey – collects information from individuals on the frequency, characteristerics, and consequences of criminal victimization
• Criminal Justice Administrative Records System (CJARS) – a nationally integrated repository of data following individuals through the criminal justice system.
• American Housing Survey – collects respondent’s perception of neighborhood crime and vandalism
• Survey of Income and Program Participation – in topical modules, collects respondent’s perception of neighborhood crime and children’s safety, and preventive measures taken.
• Current Population Survey (March Supplement) – if a household moved in last year, collects information on reason for move and  “better neighborhood/less crime” is one of the answer choices.
• 1992 Characteristics of Business Owners – asks business owners how crime affected the profitability of business.

Housing:

• American Housing Survey – collects detailed information on housing topics, such as size and quality of housing stock, and characteristics of occupants
• American Community Survey – collects information on the physical and financial characteristics of the respondent’s housing
• Decennial Surveys (1950-2010) – collects information on the physical and financial characteristics of the respondent’s housing from the “long form”
• Survey of Income and Program Participation – in topical modules, collects information on the financial characteristics of the respondent’s housing and other real estate owned
• Current Population Survey (March Supplement) – collects information on the financial characteristics of the respondent’s housing
• Survey of Business Owners (1982-2012) – asks business owners if business was started/expanded with home equity loan and if business operated from the home

Small Business/Self Employment:

• Integrated Longitudinal Business Database (ILBD): Business database containing both employers and nonemployers (i.e., businesses with no employees). Tracks businesses as they transition from nonemployer to employer status. (1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1994–2016
• Survey of Business Owners/Characteristics of Business Owners (SBO/CBO): Survey of economic and demographic characteristics of business owner. Contains questions on firm history, business conditions and source of financing. Covers businesses with and without employees.
• Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) – Long time series tracking firm entry and exit starting in 1976. Contains data on firm size and age. Can be merged with other Census data.
• Kauffman Firm Survey (KFS)  – the use of an internal version of the Kauffman Firm Survey that can be linked to restricted Census economic datasets.  The KFS is a panel survey of 4,928 businesses founded in 2004.