Open Data by the Numbers
Throughout this report, we have communicated that Open Data plays an important role in understanding our city. In this section, we showcase some of the data about Open Data to help us understand the impact of this service impacts those who use it. All data is from NYC’s fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025), unless stated otherwise.
Open Data Help Desk
Anyone and everyone can submit a question, share feedback about an existing dataset, or request a new dataset via the Open Data help desk. An Open Data Team member reads every submission, assigns it to the appropriate agency, and then collaborates with that agency to return a timely and thorough response to the inquirer. Here’s how our help desk engagement has evolved over the years:
Inquiries Submitted, 2019 - Present
Help Desk Engagement, 2019 - Present
Top 5 Datasets Inquired About This Year
| Dataset | Agency |
|---|---|
| Open Parking and Camera Violations | Department of Finance (DOF) |
| 311 Service Requests from 2010 to Present | Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) |
| OATH Hearings Division Case Status | Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) |
| Citywide Payroll Data (Fiscal Year) | Financial Information Services Agency / Office of Payroll Administration (FISA-OPA) |
| DOB Safety Violations | Department of Buildings (DOB) |
Inventory
How is NYC Open Data accessed? Open Data Users can access datasets, collections, and visualizations through three access avenues: viewing through the website, downloading data locally, and calling data with an API. Each access type is suited to different use cases, making Open Data accessible for a range of inquiry types.
Most Popular Datasets by View
Any time you look on Open Data for a dataset’s basic information, to examine its rows and columns, or to analyze it as a map or chart, your action counts as a view. You can see the most viewed datasets in 2025 below or browse the most viewed datasets of all time here.
Most Popular Datasets by Download
While NYC Open Data allows you to filter, aggregate, pivot, or visualize a dataset, many people who are looking to conduct more advanced analyses will export and download a dataset so it can be used in another program. For large datasets, filter them before downloading to only export the portion of the dataset you’re interested in. You can find about the different formats that exported data is available in at https://support.socrata.com/hc/en-us/articles/202949658-Export-formats-for-downloading-data.
*We're not sure why there are nearly three million Air Quality downloads either, especially since this dataset is only updated periodically. Getting the latest data about a topic continuously is a perfect use of the associated API.
Most Popular Datasets by API Read
Anyone who wants to see how data changes over time can make a direct connection to the dataset Application Programming Interface (API). While downloading a dataset will provide you with the current data at the time you download it, the API connection allows you to see new data as the dataset gets updated. While an API connection can be created in nearly any program, it’s most often used by people who are building a tool or application based on Open Data. Want to learn more? Each dataset on Open Data has its own easy-to-connect-to API link. Find out how you can make your own connection at https://dev.socrata.com/docs/endpoints.html.
Most Popular Datasets by Community-Made Asset
Want to see film permits for just your neighborhood? Restaurant inspections limited to a specific cuisine? NYC Open Data allows any registered user to create and save a custom filtered version of any dataset. Each saved version counts as a “community-made asset.” This year, NYC Open Data Users created 1,436 assets! Anyone can join in on the fun and create their own by signing up for an account.