UWM Libraries Research and Course Guides: Architecture & Urban Planning: Find Data

Searching for Data

Before you start your search consider:

What is your research question? What type of data or statistical information do you need?
Who or what organizations are also interested in your research question? Who would create or manage that information? What data sources have been used to answer topics related to the same or similar research questions (for example, those found in literature reviews)
What geographical location does your data need to cover? National, state, county, municipality, census tract, etc?
How is the data collected? What is the methodology or unit of analysis?
When was the data collected? What is the time period you want to investigate? How frequently is the data collected?

What is meant by "the built environment"?

The Built Environment includes the buildings in which we live and work, the roads that we take to get there, the structures we've built to help move electricity, water, and other resources around the globe--changes that human beings have made to the earth.

Who has this data? Where can I find it?

Built environment data is often maintained at the municipal to state government level (in the U.S.) and at similar administrative levels internationally. The level of detail required to collect this information often requires expensive surveying as part of long-term, stable programs such as county level Registers of Deeds, Land Information Offices, and Regional Planning Commissions.

In Wisconsin, this data is typically available on county land information websites or web mapping applications, from regional planing commissions, or, less often, on municipal websites. Much of this data is available on AGSL GeoDiscovery and Geodata@Wisconsin.

Most commonly requested built environment data

Addresses
Bike routes/paths/infrastructure
Building footprints
Bus routes and stops
Historic urban growth
Land Use
Sidewalks
Streets

Parcels
Parks
Public Buildings/Schools
Railways
Real Estate & Property
Trails
Zoning

Find Government Data and Statistics

Search or browse the USA.gov departments and agency index to identify the department or agency collects data on your topic. Agencies publish data on their websites under pages titled "library," "resources," "our work," or "research."

Browse Census Bureau topics and subtopics to help find the information you need.

**Since January 20, 2025, some federal agency data and reports were removed or altered from government webpages. Please contact a librarian if you cannot find the data you are looking for.**

Data.gov
Data.gov provides access to federal, state and local open datasets. Search or browse non-sensitive government data and tools in a variety of formats, covering topics such as business, health, education, science, and much more.
Census Data
The U.S. Census Bureau interface for distributing the Decennial Census of Population and Housing, the Economic Census, the American Community Survey, annual economic surveys, and other upcoming major related statistical files. This site is the primary source for the Census and the current economic census reports. The site is updated regularly with new data as it becomes available to the public.

USASpending.gov
USAspending is the official open data source of federal spending information,
including information about federal awards such as contracts, grants, and loans.
My Tribal Area - US Census Bureau
Access select datasets collected from the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population from the American Community Survey (ACS).
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.
Housing and Urban Development Data Sets
Data sets provided by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administration.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Data
Master list of databases, tables, and Calulators by subject of all data collected and reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is your source of accurate and objective data about the nation's economy. BEA's economists produce some of the world's most closely watched statistics, including U.S. gross domestic product, better known as GDP, as well as state and local numbers, foreign trade and investment stats and industry data.
Data USA
Visualization tool for open U.S. Government data on geographic locations, occupations, industries, and more. Map, compare, and download data, e.g. median household income by state.
City of Milwaukee Open Data
Under the City's 2016 Open Data Policy, there is now a open data portal for City of Milwaukee data. Topics Include: Aldermanic districts, voting wards, neighborhoods, police districts, properties, parcels, streets, schools, snow removal, leaf collection, streetcar routes and stops, neighborhood strategic planning areas, and more.
Milwaukee County Open Data
This is the GIS open data portal for Milwaukee County. The Topo-Planimetric county-wide data download offers users some of the most comprehensive basemap data available for Milwaukee County, including natural and man-made features. The Cadastral county-wide data download includes basemap information about real estate and property. Each are available county-wide or for specific areas.