If “the data is the new oil” then there is a lot of free oil just waiting to be used. And you can do some pretty interesting things with that data, like finding the answer to the question: Is Buffalo, New York really that cold in the winter? There is plenty of free data out there, ready to be used for school projects, market research, or just for fun. Before you go crazy, however, you should be aware of the quality of the data you find. Here are some great sources of free data and some ways to determine their quality. All of these dataset sources have strengths, weaknesses, and specialties. All in all, these are great pieces of equipment and you can spend a lot of your time digging rabbit holes. But if you want to stay focused and find what you need, it’s important to understand the nuances of each source and use their strengths to your advantage.