Open government data powers software applications that help people make informed decisions – from choosing financial aid options for college to finding the safest consumer products and vehicles. Below are just a few examples of government, community, and business tools that: use open government data from the United States; are accessible, vetted, and available; and are, for the majority, free and do not require registration to use. While we don’t endorse any particular app, we’re always interested in new examples: Submit application suggestions here.
For more examples of applications made with open government data see Civic Commons and USA.gov’s Federal Mobile Apps Directory.
The AIRNow mobile application provides you real-time air quality information that you can use to protect your health when planning your day. You can get location-specific reports on current air quality and air quality forecasts for both ozone and fine particle pollution (PM2.5).
Open Government Data Used: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Air Quality System (AQS)
Open Government Data Used: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Air Quality System (AQS)
Agencies: Environmental Protection Agency
Find alternative fueling stations near an address or ZIP code or along a route in the United States.
Open Government Data Used: Department of Energy - Alternative Fuels Data Center
Agencies: Department of Energy
We have over 74,000 city photos not found anywhere else, graphs of the latest real estate prices and sales trends, recent home sales, a home value estimator, hundreds of thousands of maps, satellite photos, demographic data (race, income, ancestries, education, employment), geographic data, state profiles, crime data, registered sex offenders, cost of living, housing, religions, businesses, local news links based on our exclusive technology, birthplaces of famous people, political contributions, city government finances, employment, weather, natural disasters, hospitals, schools and libraries.
In addition to our huge collection of data, we have also created our Top 100 City Lists and Top 101 City Lists. These lists rank cities in hundreds of categories, including income, crime, most gay couples, most cars, shortest commute, biggest houses, best educated residents and many more.
Open Government Data Used: American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Weather Service, US Census TIGER Database, Federal Housing Finance Agency Mortgage Data
Agencies: Department of Commerce; Federal Housing Finance Agency; National Weather Service; US Census Bureau
The Climate Corporation aims to build a digitized world where every farmer is able to optimize and flawlessly execute every decision on the farm. The company's proprietary Climate FieldView™ platform combines hyper-local weather monitoring, agronomic modeling, and high-resolution weather simulations to deliver Climate FieldView products, mobile SaaS solutions that help farmers improve profitability by making better informed operating and financing decisions. The company's unique technologies help the global $3 trillion agriculture industry to stabilize and improve profits and, ultimately, help feed the world. Open Government Data Used: National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Agencies: National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Weather Service; U.S. Geological Survey
Benchmarking application to compare building energy performance to comparable building classes.Open Government Data Used: Energy and Consumption Efficiency Data and Statistics
Agencies: Energy Information Administration
A fast, low cost, effective method to assess micro-nutrient deficiencies in a developing country on a household basis, while also allowing for an aggregation to a community or regional basis quickly and effectively.
International Food Consumption Patterns
International Food Security
International Agricultural Productivity
Agencies: Department of Agriculture; Economic Research Service
The Food Security Portal, facilitated by IFPRI, aims to provide improved food security for the world's poor and increased resilience of global food systems against food and financial crises. The project brings together international, regional, and country-level data, news, and research aimed at meeting countries' immediate food security needs, as well as building long-term global food security.
Global Crop Production Analysis
International Agricultural Productivity
Agencies: Department of Agriculture; Economic Research Service; Foreign Agricultural Service
Interactive application to estimate residential energy use and plan home energy efficiency upgrades.
Consumption Efficiency Data and Statistics
Agencies: Energy Information Administration
Identify tree species from photographs of their leaves.
LeafSnap.com Dataset
Species List
Fruit and Tree Nut Data
Agencies: Department of Agriculture; Economic Research Service
Our goal is to make it easier to understand what you eat. Through our interactive nutrition tools and world-renowned nutrition database, we help millions of consumers understand nutrition every single day.
Open Government Data Used:USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Strategic planning application for reducing petroleum usage through alternative vehicles, fuels, and idling reduction.
Alternative Fuel Research
Agencies: Department of Transportation
To find a retailer near you that welcomes SNAP EBT customers, click the "Select Location" button and enter a starting location.
Open Government Data Used:
SNAP Retail Locator
Agencies: Food and Nutrition Service
Visualization of standby power usage for most common appliances.
Open Government Data Used:
Residential Energy Consumption
Agencies: Energy Information Administration
My foods. My fitness. My health. Get your personalized nutrition and physical activity plan. Track your foods and physical activities to see how they stack up. Get tips and support to help you make healthier choices and plan ahead.
Open Government Data Used:
Food Calorie Count and Nutrition Database
Agencies: Department of Agriculture; Food and Nutrition Service
Woozy keeps you updated on the most recent recalls issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Product Commission (CPSC). See product images, descriptions, and contact information to track and learn about recalled products. Customize your feed to follow specific reasons like undeclared food allergens or baby products.
Open Government Data Used:
Food Recalls: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/food-recalls
CPSC Recalls: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/recalls-api-cf381
NHTSA Recalls: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/nhtsas-office-of-defects-investigation-odi-recalls-recalls-flat-file