Public data is data that can be used, reused, or redistributed. Government entities at all levels (municipal, state, federal, and international) produce large amounts of public data. Typically this data is accessible without restrictions. There may be instances where terms of use must be agreed to or approval must be granted before accessing datasets, such as health or education data. 

What's included on this page is only a sampling of what's available.

Many larger municipalities and counties host open data repositories. To find open data repositories, try searching the municipality name and open data. A few examples include: 

• data.austintexas.gov
• data.houstontx.gov

Below are a few examples of open data from regional governments in Texas and the State of Texas. If you are looking for state, regional, or municipal-level and are having trouble, please contact your subject librarian.

The U.S. federal government is one of the largest data producers in the world. There are 13 federal statistical agencies all of which produce and publish data for public use. What's included below are only a few U.S. public data resources available

Visit the following guides for more information in US federal data and related publications:

Looking for data outside the U.S.? Below are collections from international NGOs and other entities. 

In addition to these data resources, many countries are adopting open data policies and publishing their data to the web. Trying searching the country's name and open data and you may find what you're looking for. Here are a few examples of international open data resources. Do note that international websites and datasets may not be published in English, but instead in the country's language. 

• Open Data Canada
• Open Data Nepal
• Datos Abiertos de Mexico

These organizations offer public data but require that you become credentialed users before accessing the data.