A daily roundup of fresh data from scholars, governments, think tanks, pollsters and other social science researchers.

Economy
For Millennials, higher education really pays off, Pew Research Center’s Fact Tank
Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.4% in Q4 2013 in new estimate, BEA
Federal budget deficit falls to smallest level since 2008, New York Times
Realty check: Interactive guide to America’s housing market, The Economist
Jobless rates down in 43 states in 2013, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Effects of Marcellus Shale gas boom on employment, wages in Pa., BLS
The stock-picking skills of SEC employees, U. Va. via WaPost
Attracting customers and new business still top challenge in the U.S., Gallup
U.S.-NAFTA trade via pipeline up 6.4% from previous year, Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Politics
Americans still doubt Mideast peace is in the cards, Gallup

Health & Society
The young noncitizen population in the U.S., Census Bureau
Mapping America’s lightning-caused misery, The Atlantic Cities
Mapping New York’s traffic crashes, The Atlantic Cities
Science vs. journalism, in one chart, The Washington Post

International
Venezuelans saw political instability before protests, Gallup
Over 5% of world’s population suffer from disabling hearing loss, WHO
What’s the story with food loss and waste? World Bank
Euro area unemployment rate stable at 12%; inflation stable at 0.8%, Eurostat
Japan’s avg. monthly expenditures per household up 1.1% from last year, Stat Bureau
India GDP up 4.7% in Q3 2013 from previous year in estimate, Central Statistics Office

Random Sample
Charting the price of pizza in five big cities, NPR

Got new data to share? Send it to us via email facttank@pewresearch.org or Tweet us @FactTank.

George Gao  is a former associate digital producer at Pew Research Center.