Sources
USA Viz compiles public datasets into versioned snapshot releases. Each place page includes a "Data freshness" block showing the exact vintages used for that page.
If a dataset isn't included in the current release for a given page, you'll see it shown as "—" or "Not available yet".
Core sources
Census & geography
- American Community Survey (ACS)
Demographic and housing estimates (ACS 5-year).
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line
Geographic boundaries (states, counties, ZCTAs, places, etc.).
- Metro and Micro Areas (CBSA) — Census / OMB
Definitions and delineations for Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs).
- Census Relationship Files
Geographic relationship tables (e.g., ZCTA ↔ tract, ZCTA ↔ congressional district).
ZIP relationships
- HUD USPS ZIP Code Crosswalk
ZIP to ZCTA/CBSA/county crosswalk tables.
Health
- CDC PLACES
Model-based local health estimates (county/place/tract/ZCTA) derived from BRFSS and Census/ACS inputs. Some measures may be unavailable for specific places in a given release.
Economy
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Employment and unemployment metrics.
- BEA Regional
Regional GDP and personal income series.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP)
Price level indexes (US=100) for states and metro areas (cost-of-living proxy).
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
Annual Fair Market Rent schedules (housing cost context).
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
State-level electricity prices (cents/kWh) derived from EIA-861 reporting.
Connectivity & environment
- FCC broadband deployment data (Form 477)
Fixed broadband availability tables (USA Viz currently uses the December 2020 vintage for coverage context).
- FCC Mobile Broadband Data Collection (MBDC)
Mobile coverage technology rollups (MBDC / FABRIC).
- EPA Air Quality System (AQS)
Air-quality measurements (PM2.5, ozone, monitors).
- NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database
Storm Events Database exports (StormEvents_details).
Reference
- North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA)
Area code (NPA) assignments and official numbering plan references.
How to interpret
- Small-area estimates (especially ZIP/ZCTA) can be noisy; small differences may be statistical noise.
- Some metrics aren't available everywhere (or for every geography type).
- Health metrics from CDC PLACES can be partially available in a release; missing measures are shown as Not available.
- For critical use, verify numbers with the original source links above.
Site updates
We publish updates in batches. When upstream releases change, we rebuild and publish a new snapshot release. We aim to ingest upstream updates within 1–3 days.
Advanced: dataset vintages (this release)
Contact
Questions about sources: data@usaviz.com.