Alternatively, the information collected in the first example—that people in a given group have different hair texture that can be described and grouped by category—is what we usually call qualitative data. Qualitative data is observable or measurable information that is not (typically) numerical in nature.
Writing and Talking about Data: What can we do with it and what should we do with it?
While the distinction between these two types of data can be valuable, it’s important to recognize that there are not hard and fast boundaries between the two. Qualitative judgments are often made about quantitative data, and quantitative judgments can be used to manipulate qualitative data:“All quantitative data is based upon qualitative judgments; and all qualitative data can be described and manipulated numerically.”