data.gov


Data.gov is the U.S. federal government’s official open data website, launched in 2009 to enhance government transparency and accountability by providing free public access to federal datasets. Operating under the OPEN Government Data Act of 2018, it mandates federal agencies to publish their data online in standardized, machine-readable formats. The platform, maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), also collaborates with state, local, and international sources to create a comprehensive data catalog 1. Its open-source foundation enables adaptation by governments worldwide, with the source code available on the GSA’s GitHub repository 2.

Updated: January 20th, 2026

Overview

Data.gov is the U.S. federal government’s official open data website, designed to make government more open and accountable by providing free public access to federal datasets. Originally launched in 2009 following a presidential directive for greater transparency, the platform operates under the OPEN Government Data Act of 2018, which legally requires federal agencies to publish their data online in standardized, machine-readable formats. The site promotes citizen participation in government, economic development, and informed decision-making across both public and private sectors, with the General Services Administration (GSA) responsible for maintaining the central catalog 1,3.

Data.gov extends beyond federal data by collaborating with state, local, and international sources to build a comprehensive multi-level government catalog. The platform’s open source foundation allows governments worldwide to adapt its code for their own initiatives. The source code is available on the GSA GitHub repository, and a complete listing of international and U.S. open data sites can be found on the Open Data in the United States and Internationally page 2,2. Federal agencies currently represented include 4:

  • Health & Medical Agencies: National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  • Environmental & Natural Resources: United States Geological Survey (USGS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Forest Service, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

  • Space & Scientific Research: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

  • Demographics & Social Statistics: Bureau of the Census, Social Security Administration (SSA)

  • Agriculture & Food: Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Farm Service Agency (FSA)

  • Transportation & Infrastructure: Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

  • Justice & Law Enforcement: Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

  • Education: Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition, Office of Postsecondary Education

  • Energy: Energy Programs

  • Financial & Economic: Federal Financing Bank, Financing Vehicles and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Veterans Affairs: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Departmental Administration

  • International & Trade: Department of State, International Trade Commission (ITC)

  • Housing & Urban Development: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  • Employment & Personnel: Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Gaining Access

All data are freely accessible for direct download or online visualization through the platform. Simply visit the Data Catalog page to download directly 4.

Important

Terms of service and licenses for non-federal datasets accessible on data.gov may vary from those of federal agency sources.

Publications

This section presents a selection of PubMed articles that utilize the dataset and are authored by individuals affiliated with the Yale University. These articles are provided to inspire researchers and students to use the data in their own work.

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References

1.
General Services Administration (GSA) & Management and Budget (OMB), O. of. User guide. Data.gov. https://data.gov/user-guide/.
2.
General Services Administration (GSA) & Management and Budget (OMB), O. of. GSA/data.gov: Main repository for the data.gov service. GitHub. https://github.com/GSA/data.gov.
3.
(GSA), G. S. A. & Management {and} Budget (OMB), O. of. Open government. Data.gov. https://data.gov/open-gov/.
4.
(GSA), G. S. A. & Management {and} Budget (OMB), O. of. Data catalog. Data.gov. https://catalog.data.gov/dataset.
5.
General Services Administration (GSA), Data.gov Program Management Office in GSA TTS & Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Resources.data.gov. https://resources.data.gov/.