Open City
Research Hub
Transparent, data-driven research on 714 US cities across 51 states. Powered by federal data sources. Free to cite.
Data Sources & Methodology
Every metric is traceable to an official data source
US Census Bureau
.GOV SOURCEAmerican Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates provide the foundation for demographic and economic data.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
.GOV SOURCEOccupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.
Zillow Research
LICENSED DATAZillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for housing analytics.
FBI Crime Data
.GOV SOURCEUniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
Federal Reserve (FRED)
.GOV SOURCEFederal Reserve Economic Data for macroeconomic indicators and mortgage rates.
National Weather Service
.GOV SOURCENOAA climate normals and air quality data from EPA for environmental metrics.
Data Processing Methodology
Collection
Raw data ingested from federal APIs and licensed datasets via automated pipelines
Validation
Cross-reference across multiple sources. Flag outliers >2ฯ from state/national means for manual review
Normalization
Per-capita normalization (crime, jobs). Cost of Living indexed to national average = 100
Scoring
Composite scores (Livability, Investment, Safety) computed via weighted multi-factor models
Published Reports
Data-driven insights available for citation and academic use
US Migration Trends Report โ Q1 2026
Where Americans are moving in 2026. Analysis of state-to-state migration patterns, tax savings from relocation, and cost of living arbitrage across US metros.
2026 Housing Affordability Index
Ranking 500+ US cities by housing affordability. Analysis of median home price to income ratios, rent burden, and price-to-rent metrics.
Best Cities for New Graduates 2026
Ranking US cities for fresh graduates based on entry-level salary potential, cost of living adjusted income, job market depth, and quality of life metrics.
Real Salary Gap: Wage vs. Cost of Living
Comparing nominal wages to purchasing power across US metros. Which cities offer the highest "real" salaries after adjusting for local costs?
Data Coverage
Current database coverage across metric categories
| Metric Category | Primary Source | Update Frequency | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population & Demographics | US Census Bureau (ACS) | Annual | 714 cities |
| Cost of Living | BLS CPI + C2ER | Quarterly | 713 cities |
| Housing Market | Zillow Research (ZHVI/ZORI) | Monthly | 713 cities |
| Crime & Safety | FBI UCR / NIBRS | Annual | 713 cities |
| Employment & Wages | BLS OEWS | Annual | 800+ occupations |
| Mortgage & Interest Rates | Federal Reserve (FRED) | Weekly | National |
| Climate & Weather | NWS / NOAA / EPA | Annual | 714 cities |
How to Cite Ocity.org
Use these formats for academic papers, reports, and publications
APA 7th APA Format
For specific city pages, replace [city-slug] with the city URL.
MLA 9th MLA Format
Adjust the access date to when you retrieved the data.
Chicago Chicago / Turabian
BibTeX For LaTeX Users
@misc{ocity2026,
title = {City Data and Analysis},
author = {Ocity.org},
year = {2026},
url = {https://ocity.org},
note = {Accessed: 2026-03-18}
} Scoring Models
How we compute composite scores for city comparisons
๐ Investment Score
A composite metric for real estate investment potential, computed as:
๐ฐ Cap Rate (Estimated)
Estimated capitalization rate for rental properties:
The 0.6 multiplier accounts for estimated operating expenses (40% expense ratio: taxes, maintenance, vacancy, insurance).
Usage & License
How you can use our data and research
Academic Use
Free to cite in research papers, dissertations, and academic publications. Use citation formats above.
Media & Press
Journalists and publications may cite and reference our data with attribution to Ocity.org.
Government Use
Government agencies and policymakers may reference our analysis for public interest purposes.
Embeddable Widgets
Add city data to your website — free with attribution
Each embed includes a "Powered by Ocity.org" backlink
Need Custom Data?
Researchers, journalists, and government analysts can request custom datasets or analyses for their projects.
Get in Touch