The United States has multiple statistical agencies, but data transparency and quality are variable, impacting public trust and policy decisions.
The U.S. ranks 22nd in data transparency globally in 2024, scoring 72, a decline from its 2016 peak at 76.
The Open Data Inventory index ranks countries based on openness and coverage of data; the U.S. scores 64 in coverage and 79 in completeness as of 2024.
During the Trump administration, deviations in data collection practices affected U.S. data transparency, particularly in healthcare reporting to the CDC.
Data transparency is crucial for public trust and effective policy-making during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, global data openness is improving, but the U.S. saw a decline in openness and coverage scores between 2018 and 2020.
Open Data Watch ranks countries' data transparency; Singapore leads with a perfect openness score of 100, contrasting with lower scores for other influential countries like China (37.4) and Russia (62).
Nordic countries like Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden rank highest globally in data openness, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive statistical offerings.