Internet, Networking, & Security Around the Web 63 63 people found this article helpful The Top 20 Essential U.S. Government Websites Find government information and resources you need by Elise Moreau Freelance Contributor Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others. our editorial process Facebook Twitter Elise Moreau Updated on March 05, 2020 pressureUA / Getty Images Around the Web Browsers Cloud Services Error Messages Family Tech Home Networking 5G Antivirus VPN Web Development Around the Web View More Tweet Share Email With hundreds of thousands of U.S. government and government-related websites online today, it can be pretty overwhelming to find exactly what you're looking for—let alone the sites that are actually legitimate. Instead of sifting through Google searches and then browsing through all sorts of confusing web pages, check out this list of the top United States government sites you need to know about. These picks consistently offer the best user experience, helping you to find what you need quickly, easily, and efficiently. 01 of 20 Best General Government Information Search: USA.gov What We Like One-stop resource for government information. Search directories for easier navigation. Search other federal, state, and local government websites from one place. What We Don't Like Basic search is overwhelming. Numerous directories take time to browse. USA.gov serves as the public's access portal into the vast resources available on the web from the U.S. government. No matter what government information or services you're trying to find, this site is your one-stop shop that can help you find it—from health resources and disability services to benefits/grants/loans and jobs/unemployment services. Go to USA.gov 02 of 20 Best Site for Historical Information: The Library of Congress What We Like More than 17 million searchable documents. Search multiple content types. Offers "free to use and reuse" historical photographs. What We Don't Like Results often refer to documents available in person. All connections may be in use at peak times, interfering with search. The Library of Congress is the nation's largest repository of culture, as well as the largest functioning library in the entire world. If you're looking for manuscripts, files, information, or even images and videos, this is one of the best places to start your search. Go to LOC.gov 03 of 20 Best Site to Learn About the Legislative System: Congress.gov What We Like Find public legislative information. Find information on former and current congress members. Save searches for future reference. What We Don't Like Older legislative information is not available. Full text of bills is not always available. The Congress.gov website is where you can find federal legislation freely available for the general public. There is also information about current and past congressional members and the bills that have been or are before Congress. Additionally, this website retains information about the U.S. legal system and legal data. Go to Congress.gov 04 of 20 Best Site for Access to Federal Government Publications: Federal Depository Library Program What We Like Materials available include electronic, CD, microfiche, and paper. Search for depository by state. Offers a quick start guide for new users. What We Don't Like Retrieve publications at public depositories. Libraries are not required to circulate depository materials. Some features are locked behind a login. From the Articles of Confederation to a Statistical Abstract of the United States, if you're looking for an American historical document, you'll probably find it at the Federal Depository Library Program. You can also access government information published by the U.S. Congress, Federal agencies, and the Federal courts from this site. Go to the Federal Depository Library Program 05 of 20 Best Site for Kids: Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids What We Like Engaging interactive learning games. Learning adventures display age-related information. What We Don't Like Lacks advanced search. Navigation is not intuitive. Ben's Guide is an excellent introduction to the U.S. government. According to the website, it's designed to provide learning tools for K-12 students, parents, and teachers. It includes the use of the primary source materials of GPO Access and explains how to use them. Go to Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government 06 of 20 Best Site for Prevention and Wellness Information: Healthfinder.gov What We Like Browse health topics alphabetically. Resources for local health providers. Offers preventative service recommendations. What We Don't Like No advanced search feature. Service sources have not been reviewed for several years. Healthfinder.gov is one of the best places to find government-related health and human services information on the web. Over 1,500 health-related organizations are represented here. Search for something in the search field or browse topics from A to Z. Go to Healthfinder.gov 07 of 20 Best Site for Vital Records: National Center for Health Statistics What We Like Access vital records, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates. Statistical data for research and reports. What We Don't Like Lacks advanced search. Cluttered, text-heavy pages are difficult to read. If you're wondering how to obtain vital records, then the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is the best place to start. Every state is represented here, with detailed information on how to go about getting what you need. Go to the National Center for Health Statistics 08 of 20 Best Site for the Latest Presidential News and Events: Whitehouse.gov What We Like Email updates available. Topic tabs simplify browsing. Ability to stream live events. What We Don't Like Cannot browse by date. No sitemap. Whitehouse.gov not only gives you the latest presidential news, but you can also find out the President's official stance on a plethora of policy issues, from budget management to national defense. Live events can also be streamed from this website. Go to Whitehouse.gov 09 of 20 Best Site for Information About the U.S. Population: U.S. Census Bureau What We Like American FactFinder provides statistics about communities. Interactive map provides data at a glance. Library of infographics, fact sheets, and audio. What We Don't Like Overwhelming amount of information. News and press releases mixed with data results. Want U.S. population info? How about the latest census findings? You can find answers to these questions and a whole lot more at the U.S. Census Bureau. This website is also a good place to find trends in U.S. population and business changes. Go to Census.gov 10 of 20 Best Site for Accessing a Wide Range of Worldwide Info: Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook What We Like Updated weekly. Print version available. Public domain. What We Don't Like Geared toward government officials. Data discrepancies between sources. Find detailed geographical, demographic, and statistical information for every country in the world at the CIA World Factbook. Information is also available in a free download form for easy offline access. Go to the CIA's World Factbook 11 of 20 Best Site for Veterans Benefits and Services: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs What We Like Wide range of topics. Request records directly. Quick access to prescription refills, appointment scheduling, and more. What We Don't Like Cluttered main page. No sitemap or category list. If you're a veteran, then you need to put the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website in your bookmarks immediately. You can find information about prescription refills, veterans affairs forms, health care benefits, military records, education resources, and much more. Go to VA.gov 12 of 20 Best Site for Emergency and Disaster Information: Federal Emergency Management Agency What We Like Search flood zones on map. Mobile app provides advanced features. Available in multiple languages. What We Don't Like Simplistic, outdated layout. Clunky browse feature. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website is a great resource for the latest emergency headlines, disaster preparedness information, and how to apply for federal or state emergency assistance. Go to FEMA.gov 13 of 20 Best Site for Federal Income Taxes: Internal Revenue Service What We Like Tax forms, publications, and instructions. View and pay accounts online. What We Don't Like Article and video images may be distracting. No FAQ page. It's the IRS. No, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) probably isn't where you want to spend too much of your time, but it's a rich resource of information when you need to find details about filing federal income taxes. Go to IRS.gov 14 of 20 Best Site for Your National Postage Needs: The United States Postal Service What We Like Track and manage deliveries. Change address online. Order postage supplies. What We Don't Like Doesn't display correctly in older browsers. Tech support only available during business hours. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a wonderful resource. You can print postage and labels online, change your address, stop your mail while you're on vacation, and a whole lot more. Go to USPS.com 15 of 20 Best Site for Ocean, Waterway and Atmospheric Info: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association What We Like Find weather forecasts, watches and warnings on national map. View real-time satellite imagery. What We Don't Like Icons describing page tabs might be unclear. No FAQs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is a treasure trove for weather junkies or anyone else who wants to stay on top of weather happenings, as well as oceanic research and new aquatic developments. Go to NOAA 16 of 20 Best Site for Historical Records and Info: The National Archives What We Like Rich resource for genealogists. Research specific topics. View online exhibits. What We Don't Like Cluttered main page is distracting. Many records are unavailable online. Research your genealogical history, delve into historical topics, and view historical documents and photos of all kinds at the National Archives. Go to the National Archives 17 of 20 Best Site for Managing Your Social Security: Social Security Online What We Like Tools available for benefits planning. Read about Social Security news. What We Don't Like Unable to perform some tasks online. Lack of advanced search. Need to apply for Social Security benefits? Want to replace your Medicare card? How about planning for your retirement, qualifying for disability, or getting help with name changes? You can do all these things and more on the Social Security Administration's website. Go to Social Security Administration 18 of 20 Best Site for Scientific Info About Natural Hazards: U.S. Geological Survey What We Like Real-time data on earth observations. Information on potential hazards and threats. Tons of maps. What We Don't Like Some pages are cluttered and difficult to navigate. No FAQs. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is one of the most interesting sites on the internet. "As an unbiased, multi-disciplinary science organization that focuses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water, we are dedicated to the timely, relevant, and impartial study of the landscape, our natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us," it states. Here, you can find topographic maps, real-time science data, and more. Go to USGS.gov 19 of 20 Best Site for Local News and Info: State Government Information What We Like Read state and local newspapers and periodicals. Interactive map simplifies search. What We Don't Like Search is not intuitive. No sitemap or advanced search. Part of the Library of Congress, this website lets you search for state and local government information. You can also access the National Conference of State Legislatures to learn more about legislation affecting your state. Another resource to State (and local) government information is State & Local Government on the Net. Go to State Government Information 20 of 20 Best Site for Finding Local Government Contact Info: Local Government Information What We Like Find contact information at the state level. Locate specific department information, such as tribal or consumer protection offices. Easy to use. What We Don't Like Not an independent site. No advanced search. Though technically a part of the USA.gov website, you can use the Local Government finder to locate information about your local government, including city and county websites, links to specific information (such as driver's license requirements), and news relevant to that municipality. Go to Local Governments