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Business and Economics Databases: Microeconomic

Business and Economics: Microeconomic Data

Micro Data

Microeconomic data is survey or longitudinal data providing information about individuals or companies, or at a local level.

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Global microeconomic data

UK Data Service iconUKDS: UK Data Service
Despite the name, UK Data Service also includes microdata from cross-national surveys:

  • European Company Survey
  • European Quality of Life Survey
  • European Working Conditions Survey
  • Young Lives

EU logoEurostat | Eurostat Microdata
Access to most EU microdata is restricted to researchers but public microdata is available for the following surveys:

  • EU Labour Force Survey
  • EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions

WorldBnk logoWorld Bank Microdata Library
A collection of 5,000+ micro datasets from the World Bank and other international, regional and national organisations.

  • Global Findex: Global Financial Inclusion
  • Living Standards Measurement Study
  • IPUMS: Integrated Public Use Microdata Series

IPUMS logoIPUMS
Integrated census and survey microdata from the USA and internationally. 

FRED logoFRED Economic Data
A collection of 822,000+ US and international economic times series datasets since 1991 from the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Economic Research Division.

ICPSR logoICPSR: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
Archive of 250,000+ research data files in the social and behaviour sciences. Find data by subject, data type, collected method, and time period. Most data is publicly available, but access to some data is restricted.
 

Figshare logoFigshare
An open-access repository of academic research outputs including datasets. Search for data by subject/keyword, or Browse by category including Economics, Education, Human Society and Psychology.

Access to Data

Not all survey or statistical data is available to researchers. Access to data may be restricted because it is private (about people), commercially sensitive (about companies), or because it is commercially published (available to purchase or on subscription).

Researchers may need to apply to access datasets and agree to protect the privacy and security of the data. The application process can take time (months) and data may only be released to approved researchers or institutions. Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students may be denied access to datasets and have to use Public Use Microdata (PUMF or PUMS) which are limited datasets.

The Library does not purchase datasets for individual researchers. Funding for datasets not available in the Library should be sourced from your research grant or department. Please contact your Research and Academic Support Librarian to discuss developing the Library's statistics collection.  

United Kingdom

UK Data Service logoUK Data Service
Find microdata for the UK census and key UK surveys and longitudinal studies. Search by subject/keyword, or Browse by data theme (topic) or data type.

Available microdata includes the following surveys:

  • Annual Population Survey
  • Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings [CONTROLLED ACCESS]
  • British Cohort Study (1970)
  • British Election Survey
  • British Social Attitudes Survey
  • Census microdata (sample files from 1961 onwards)
  • Crime Survey for England and Wales
  • English Housing Survey
  • Family Resources Survey
  • General Lifestyle Survey (formerly General Household Survey)
  • Health Survey for England
  • Labour Force Survey
  • Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey [CONTROLLED ACCESS]
  • Millennium Cohort Study (2000)
  • National Child Development Study (1958)
  • National Survey and Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles
  • National Travel Survey
  • Opinions and Lifestyle Survey
  • Prices Survey [CONTROLLED ACCESS]
  • Understanding Society (formerly British Household Panel Survey)

Access to data
Researchers must login to UK Data Service to access data. There are three levels of data security:

  1. Open: researchers can access immediately and without registration (available to all)
  2. Safeguarded: researchers need to register (login) and request data (generally available to all)
  3. Controlled: researchers need to register (login) and apply for access to data (experienced researchers only)

You can find out more about the Access Levels and Conditions on the UK Data Service website. Generally, students can access open and safeguarded data, but not controlled data. Academic staff and PGR students can apply for access to controlled data, however this process may take many months and may involve completion of training courses.

 

UK Data Archive logoI-CeM: Integrated Census Microdata
Find and download standardised microdata from the UK census from 1851 to 1911.

 

CIPFA logoCIPFA Stats+
Find data related to local government from the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Themes include finance, council tax, demography, environment, highways, waste, public protection, and social care.

GOv.UK logoDfE: Department for Education | EES: Explore Educational Statistics
Find data on education and children from early years to higher education. Includes performance data for schools and colleges in England. 

HESA logoHESA: Higher Education Statistics Agency
Find data on the UK higher education sector from 1996 including students, staff, graduates, finance, business and estates.

NHS logoNHS England Statistics
Find data on health and social care in England including ambulance, hospitals, and waiting times.

Gov.UK logoOHID: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Statistics
Find data on public health disparities including abortion, alcohol and tobacco, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, breastfeeding, child health, excess mortality, obesity, and national child measurement programme.

Silhouette of London with blue line representing River Thames.London Datastore | London Datasets
Find data at ward and borough level in the Greater London Authority, including demographic, economic, environmental and social data.

United States of America

US Census Bureau logoUS Census Bureau | US Census Bureau Data Portal
Access data from key US surveys including:

 

  • American Community Survey
  • American Housing Survey
  • American Time Use Survey
  • Annual Business Survey
  • Annual Integrated Economic Survey
  • Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances
  • Consumer Expenditure Survey
  • Decennial Census of Population and Housing
  • Economic Census
  • Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
  • National Crime Victimization Survey
  • National Health Interview Survey
  • National Household Education Survey
  • National Prisoner Statistics Program
  • National Survey of Children's Health
  • National Survey of College Graduates
  • New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey
  • Quarterly Financial Report
  • Statistics of US Businesses
  • Survey of Income and Program Participation

 

IPUMS USA logoIPUMS: Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
IPUMS provides integrated census and survey microdata from the USA and internationally. 

  • IPUMS CPS: microdata from the US Labor Force Survey and Current Population Survey (1962-)
  • IPUMS HIGHER ED: microdata from NSCG: National Surveys of College Graduates and SESAT: Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (1993-)
  • IPUMS Health Surveys: microdata from NHIS: National Health Interview Series and MEPS: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
  • IPUMS NHGIS: microdata on population, housing and agriculture with GIS boundary files (1790-)
  • IPUMS USA: microdata from US Census (1850-) and American Community Survey (2000-)

Australia

ABS logoABS: Australian Bureau of Statistics | ABS Microdata
Some Census and Business in Australia microdata is freely available via TableBuilder. Otherwise, microdata requires a personal subscription, or is restricted to experienced researchers in Australia.

HILDA logoHILDA: Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey
Annual household longitudinal study on economic and personal wellbeing, labour market dynamics and family life since 2001 from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic & Social Research

Canada

StatCan logoStatCan: Statistics Canada
Public Use Microdata Files:

  • Aboriginal Peoples Survey
  • Census (sample data)
  • Canadian Housing Survey
  • Canadian Income Survey
  • General Social Survey
  • Survey of Financial Security
  • Survey of Household Spending
  • Labour Force Survey
  • ​​​​​​Canadian Community Health Survey

Abacus logoAbacus Open Data
A data repository curated by Canadian universities. Open data is available for public access. Includes Public Use Microdata Files from Statistics Canada, and deposited research data from selected universities.

New Zealand