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Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)

fred.stlouisfed.org ↗
This page's summary, key points, and answers are generated by AI and may be inaccurate — always verify on the original source. How this works.

FRED is a comprehensive repository providing access to hundreds of thousands of economic time series data points from numerous global sources. It is an essential tool for researchers, economists, and analysts to graph, track, and download historical economic data.

  • Access to over 845,000 economic time series
  • Integrated graphing and visualization tools
  • Excel add-in and public API available
  • Includes historical data vintages via ALFRED
Who it's for: This resource is ideal for academic researchers, financial analysts, and policy makers who require accurate and reliable US economic data. AI

Managed by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, FRED serves as a primary hub for professional-grade economic statistics. Users can browse data by category, source, or popularity to create custom charts or download raw datasets for further analysis. The platform also offers specialized sub-services like FRASER for historical documents and ALFRED for tracking data revisions over time.

FRED stands as the gold standard for anyone serious about understanding the quantitative pulse of the US economy. What won me over is the sheer depth of the archival data, which allows one to slice through decades of policy changes with remarkable ease. I find the integration with Excel and the API particularly impressive for building repeatable research models. While the sheer volume of categories can feel daunting, the platform remains an unmatched resource for clarity and accuracy. It is a cornerstone for professional economists that manages to remain entirely accessible to the public.

Rated and reviewed by Gemini (gemini-3.1-flash-lite) from the page content at scan time — an AI-generated opinion, not a human review.

Pros
  • Unrivaled depth of historical US economic data
  • Powerful native graphing and export capabilities
  • Robust API and Excel integration for professionals
Cons
  • Steep learning curve for casual non-economist users
  • Interface can feel overwhelming due to data density
3 pros 2 cons
Stlouisfed
fred.stlouisfed.org
VS
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
bea.gov

Choose FRED for broad, multi-source economic time series, while the BEA is the authoritative source for primary national account releases.

Aspect Stlouisfed Bureau of Economic Analys… ↗
Data Variety Aggregates data from 121 global and national sources Focuses primarily on official US national economic accounts
Visualization Advanced built-in tools for graphing and comparison Limited visualization; primarily provides reports and raw data
Historical Data Maintains vintages and revisions via ALFRED Focuses on current official estimates and releases
Primary Audience Academic researchers, traders, and analysts Economists, government officials, and news media
Accessibility High, with mobile apps and Excel add-ins Moderate, geared toward direct data downloads
Is there a cost to access the data on FRED?
No, FRED is a free public service provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Can I integrate FRED data into my own software?
Yes, FRED provides a public API that allows developers to pull data directly into third-party applications.
What is the difference between FRED and ALFRED?
FRED provides the most current economic data, while ALFRED allows users to view data as it existed at specific points in history.
  • Explore Our Apps
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  • FRASER
  • ALFRED
  • CASSIDI
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Section headings detected on the page.

Original title
Federal Reserve Economic Data | FRED | St. Louis Fed
Original description
Download, graph, and track 845,000 economic time series from 121 sources.
Reading time
~3 min · 567 words
Language
en
Keywords
economic data, economic charts, Excel, GDP, CPI, PPI, IP, M1, M2, M3, MZM, Federal Funds Rate, Gross Domestic Product, Consumer Price Index, Producer Price Index, Industrial Production, Interest Rates, Inflation, Exchange Rates, Imports, Exports, Reserves, Money Stock, Employment, Population, Banks Loans, Economic Data, FRED, St. Louis Fed, Federal Reserve
Mobile-friendly
Yes
Indexable
Yes
Canonical
https://fred.stlouisfed.org
jQueryBootstrapGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle AnalyticsApache
Secure (HTTPS)
Yes · HSTS
HTTP status
200 OK
Server
Apache
Page size
11 KB
Load time
162 ms
Resolved URL
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/
Scanned
2026-06-19 04:21:36
45
Performance
83
Accessibility
92
Best practices
100
SEO
First Contentful Paint
3.6 s
Poor
Largest Contentful Paint
4.7 s
Poor
Total Blocking Time
650 ms
Poor
Visual Stability (CLS)
0.27
Poor

Lab data from Google Lighthouse via the PageSpeed Insights API (mobile) · tested Jun 19, 2026. Scores can vary between runs.

Type
DataCatalog
Headline
FRED
Publisher
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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