New York City Open Data
APIFree open data API for New York City government datasets
Overview
The New York City Open Data API (powered by Socrata SODA) provides RESTful access to over 2,000 civic datasets spanning transportation, public safety, health, education, and more. It supports JSON, CSV, XML, and GeoJSON formats. Users can filter, sort, and paginate results via query parameters. Use cases include building commute apps with MTA data, analyzing crime trends with NYPD reports, creating public health dashboards, or integrating NYC-specific data into civic tech solutions. Bulk downloads are available for large datasets, while real-time queries suit targeted data retrieval.
Example Integration (JavaScript)
fetch('https://opendata.cityofnewyork.us/')
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(err => console.error(err)); Key Features
- RESTful (SODA compliant)
- Multiple data formats (JSON, CSV, XML, GeoJSON)
- No auth required for public datasets
- Filterable & paginated queries
- Bulk data access
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is New York City Open Data free to use?
Yes, all datasets are available for free under open licenses like CC0 (public domain) or CC BY, allowing unrestricted use and redistribution.
? Does it require an API Key?
Most public datasets do not need an API key. However, high-volume access or restricted datasets may require authentication via an API key obtained from the portal.
? What is the response format?
Responses support multiple formats including JSON, CSV, XML, and GeoJSON (for spatial datasets). You can specify the format via query parameters in your request.
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Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Free open access
- ⊕ Extensive civic dataset coverage
- ⊕ Regularly updated data
- ⊕ Supports spatial data (GeoJSON)
Cons
- ⊖ Requires learning SODA query syntax for advanced use
- ⊖ Some datasets have delayed updates
- ⊖ No official SLA for uptime
- ⊖ Large datasets may have slow response times