The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard has released a handy compilation of U.S. government datasets that journalists can use to deepen their stories. While a nuanced mix of data is available on a national level, researchers can also access info to develop local news.

The compiled of data from the Department of Education highlights data on education access and equity from public schools across the country, and allows researchers to compare schools and districts. You can also search through Federal Student Aid data from participating individual schools.

From the Census Bureau, you can get a look at business patterns by county and zip code -- data that includes the number of businesses and annual payrolls. Using this info can help bolster local economic stories.

The National Climatic Data Center offers a view of weather changes on a national and local level. Type a zip code into the search bar or zoom in on the U.S. map to see daily measurement of snowfall, temperature averages and precipitation.

Datasets from the Department of Housing and Urban Development range from housing vacancy reports to data on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which helps state and local governments develop foreclosed properties.

The long list of datasets also includes specific links to resources from the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency.