What categories of datasets are available on OpenDataPhilly?

Updated

OpenDataPhilly organizes its catalog into browsable categories, so you can jump straight to a subject area instead of searching the whole repository. The categories listed on the site cover arts and culture, boundaries, budget and finance, the economy, education, elections and politics, the environment, food, health and human services, parks and recreation, planning and zoning, public safety, real estate and land records, and transportation. If your topic falls into one of these areas, browsing by category is the fastest way to see what is available.

The full category list

According to the OpenDataPhilly homepage, datasets can be browsed by the following categories:

  • Arts / Culture / History
  • Boundaries
  • Budget / Finance
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Elections / Politics
  • Environment
  • Food
  • Health / Human Services
  • Parks / Recreation
  • Planning / Zoning
  • Public Safety
  • Real Estate / Land Records
  • Transportation

How to use the categories

  1. Go to opendataphilly.org.
  2. Use the "Browse by Category" section on the homepage.
  3. Select the category that matches your topic.
  4. Review the datasets listed under that category and open the ones that fit your needs.

The homepage also offers a "Browse all datasets" option if you would rather scan the entire catalog or are not sure which category applies.

What the categories tell you about coverage

The category list is a quick signal of scope. OpenDataPhilly describes itself as a catalog of open data for the Philadelphia region and as the official open data repository for the City of Philadelphia, and it also includes datasets from many organizations in the region. That means a single category can mix city datasets with contributions from other regional organizations, so it is worth checking the individual dataset entries for the publisher and details.

When category browsing is the right approach

  • You know your subject area but not the specific dataset name.
  • You want a quick overview of what exists in a field such as transportation or public safety.
  • You are comparing whether the catalog covers a topic before investing time in a deeper search.

If you already know the exact dataset you need, browsing all datasets or searching directly may be faster. If your topic does not clearly match any category, start with "Browse all datasets" and scan the full list.