---
id: geodatasets
version: "2026.5.1"
license: BSD 3-Clause
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# geodatasets — Spatial data examples

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 181.5K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Geodatasets is a lightweight package that manages a curated registry of geospatial datasets hosted externally. It wraps a JSON metadata store describing datasets from sources like GeoDA, Natural Earth, and EEA, providing a simple Python API to query dataset information, retrieve download URLs, or fetch and cache files locally. The package uses pooch for download and caching, so you can reference datasets by name and get either a direct URL or a local file path—downloading only if the file isn't already cached.

It's designed for data scientists, educators, and GIS practitioners who need reliable sample datasets for tutorials, examples, or quick analysis without manually managing downloads. The registry includes dozens of datasets covering topics like urban crime, health indicators, economic data, and natural features, each with metadata about geometry type, dimensions, and attribution.

Use it for:

- Load example datasets in Jupyter notebooks for GIS tutorials or demonstrations without manual downloads
- Provide consistent sample data across educational materials or training courses
- Quickly prototype spatial analysis workflows with known, well-documented datasets
- Build reproducible examples in documentation or blog posts using cached geospatial data
- Access pre-vetted datasets with proper attribution and license information for research

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Geodatasets provides a curated database of geospatial example datasets with a simple API to fetch URLs or download and cache them locally for educational and illustrative purposes.

Yes. Geodatasets is actively maintained, has no security vulnerabilities, installs with minimal friction, and solves a real problem for anyone teaching or learning GIS—reliable access to example spatial data. The permissive BSD license poses no restrictions. Install it if you're building tutorials, examples, or educational materials that need geospatial datasets.

## Install

pip install geodatasets
uv add geodatasets
poetry add geodatasets

## Installing geodatasets

Before you install: Low install friction with a single runtime dependency (pooch). The package is actively maintained with recent releases and no known vulnerabilities.

License in practice: BSD 3-Clause is a permissive license allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making this package safe to use in most projects.

Quickstart:

pip install geodatasets

import geodatasets

# Get URL for a dataset
url = geodatasets.get_url('geoda airbnb')

# Download and cache, then get local path
path = geodatasets.get_path('geoda airbnb')

Verify before relying:

- Whether the cached datasets persist across Python sessions or require re-download
- Cache size limits or cleanup strategies for long-term use
- Whether all datasets remain accessible or if URLs are subject to change

## Package facts

- License: BSD 3-Clause (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 181.5K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

geospatial example datasets, download spatial data, geographic data cache, gis sample datasets, spatial data examples, gis, geospatial-data, sample-datasets

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/geodatasets) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/geodatasets/)