Free GIS Data Sources – July 2026

Finding High-Quality GIS Data Online Without Spending a Dime

For today’s Saga, I’ll be talking about two essential GIS data sources that anyone can access. Access to premium geospatial data used to require hefty budgets or institutional access. Today, some of the most robust, highly accurate datasets are available entirely for free. Whether you are building terrain models or mapping demographic trends, these two foundational repositories offer invaluable spatial data. And did I mention these are free data sources?!

1. USGS LiDAR Explorer

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is the gold standard for physical geography and elevation data. Through the LiDAR Explorer Map, you can access an extensive library of free LiDAR point cloud and DEM raster data sets.

• Available Data: High-resolution LiDAR point clouds and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) at various resolutions (from 1-meter to 30-meter), and topobathy datasets.
• Coverage: Most of the continental United States, Hawaii, and limited portions of Alaska for LiDAR and DEMs. Topobathy limited to coastal areas and some major river basins.
• How to Use It: Navigate to the interactive map interface and zoom into your area of interest. Choose the type of data you need with the menu on the left (LiDAR, DEM or Other). Also using the menu on the left, choose to show the results within your Area of Interest (“AOI”). Draw a bounding box around your AOI by pressing CTRL+drag (Command+drag on Mac) to draw the box. Alternatively you can use the AOI widget found on the map panel. A list of available data will populate in a menu on the right. Find the files you want and download for use.
• How Easy is it to Use: Navigating the map and defining the area of interest are super easy, and there is no login or fee for downloading the data. The downfall of this data is that it is not always easy to determine which file you are trying to download. File names usually come with a date so you can determine the most recent version, but the rest of the file naming convention is cryptic. If you don’t have a key to understanding the layer of the files, your best bet is to download more than you think you need and eliminate unnecessary files later. Overall this is a great source of data.
• Access Link: USGS LiDAR Explorer

2. US Census Bureau

For human geography, population statistics, and administrative boundaries, the US Census Bureau is unmatched. It provides the essential socioeconomic frameworks needed to contextualize environmental or commercial GIS projects.

• Available Data: Statistical data for states, counties, and census tracts. Demographic tables (population, income, housing, business, and education data).
• Coverage: All of the United States, Puerto Rico and Island Areas.
• How to Use It: Start by entering a search term, or choosing to find data near a specific address, or dive right into the data filters. US Census bureau data is vast, and has been tabulated in many different ways. Several tabs can show the selected data in tables, charts or maps. There are several tools to manipulate and display data, as well as print and share directly on the site. Once you find the correct data, you can download the table for use in your own map. The site also provides a handy citation tool for giving the proper credit for your data source.
• How Easy is it to Use: The search feature is great at getting close to what you are looking for, if you know what you are looking for. It’s easy to get lost in all the different filters. As I mentioned before, the US Census data is vast, so sometimes it helps to find something close to what you want, download it, and conduct your own analysis specific to your needs rather than getting lost on this site. This data is invaluable for population and demographic research and analysis, a free for anyone to view and use.
• Access Link: US Census Bureau

That’s it for today, I hope you found this review of two great free data sources helpful. Please leave a comment, and share your own favorite data sources I might review in a future post.

Until next time, keep exploring the world around you!