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USAFacts Editorial Guidelines
USAFacts exclusively uses publicly available government data so that you know the ins and outs of US spending, revenue, population and demographics, and policy outcomes. We don’t make judgments. Whether government money is spent wisely or not, whether the quality of life is improving or getting worse — that’s for you to decide.
Unbiased
Most government data is collected by career agency statisticians who work independently of any presidential administration. We believe that this data is the most reliable, nonpartisan source for critical civic discussions, unlike information from think tanks or universities, which may carry viewpoints.
We encourage Americans to judge the country’s direction for themselves. We don’t propose policies in our reports. We don’t answer to a board, political group, or other stakeholders. As a not-for-profit organization, we have no agenda other than improving debates — and, by extension, American democracy — with government facts that every American deserves to have.
Accurate
We update reports, articles, and data visualizations if governments release new information. We update human errors in text or charts and correct factual inaccuracies. If you see an error anywhere on our site, please report it to [email protected].
Understandable
We gather metrics from government sources and standardize them so they’re easy to grasp. That means approachable articles, detailed reports, and clear, vibrant visualizations illustrating the data.
Comprehensive
We offer a complete view of government impact and finances, from the federal level to the county where you live. We’re always collecting and adding metrics from the nation’s more than 90,000 government entities.
Contextual
We use government data from federal, state, and local agencies and departments at all levels to illustrate the big picture in one place. Our reports include historical context — such as comparisons to prior years, or inflation-adjusted dollars — and bold, simple graphs to visualize changes over time.
We want readers to see themselves in the data to better understand how government affects them. To achieve this, we parse data by characteristics such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, and geography when available and relevant.
Transparent
We are open about our data sources and methods. We cite sources for our visualizations, articles, and reports and note if we have made any changes, such as adjusting for inflation or population.
We also use artificial intelligence, specifically Open AI, to write some text on our site. All text, charts, and other content are thoroughly fact-checked by researchers, statisticians, and data analysts to ensure accuracy and approachability.
Citing USAFacts
As a single source for fact-based government information, USAFacts is a resource for anyone looking for trustworthy data to inform their discussions, work, or vote. We encourage you to use and cite us.
Here are some ways to credit USAFacts:
- “Source: USAFacts”
- “Data provided by USAFacts”
- “Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled by USAFacts”
Please include a hyperlink back to the page where you found the data. We love to see work featuring our data. Tag us @usafacts.
All USAFacts data and visualizations are licensed under a Creative Commons license (more info available in the Terms of Service).
This means you are free to:
- Share — Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
- Adapt — Reconfigure/remake, transform, and build upon the material.
So long as you:
- Attribute — Give appropriate credit. You may do so in any reasonable manner but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- ShareAlike — If you remake, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
- No additional restrictions — You cannot apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
