A vibrant democracy requires informed citizens — and that means you need information. USAFacts makes government data accessible and understandable, so you can make smart decisions.
All Americans are shareholders in this democracy: we contribute to the nation's coffers through tax dollars and elect representatives to write its laws. Like any shareholders, we deserve to know where the money goes and how lawmakers' policies affect society. Government data has those answers.
USAFacts guides you through the maze that is government data. We’re a team of career researchers, data analysts, statisticians, and communication professionals. We track down government metrics in digital reports or the occasional Freedom of Information Act request. We standardize the numbers, consult designers to make clear visuals, and we refine our reports so that we share the facts without fluff or jargon.
The seeds of USAFacts were planted when former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer retired from tech and focused on philanthropy. To determine the best way to make an impact, he searched for solid, reliable, impartial numbers to understand what governments do with American tax dollars. How are they spent? Who is served, and what are the outcomes?
But those numbers weren’t readily available, and a simple search turned into a quest to uncover and understand the government by the numbers, not the rhetoric.
He assembled a small team of economists, writers, and researchers who started combing through government data. Their eye-opening report laid the foundation for USAFacts.
We envision a thriving democracy supported by undisputed, trusted, comprehensive government data.
How many dogs have government jobs? What about sea lions?, Washington Post
Why Michigan Could Sway the 2024 Election, US News & World Report
Have question about the data or USAFacts? Email us at [email protected]. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].