Privacy of data can be preserved while utility of the output is maximized by selecting from an appropriately calculated distribution of noise values to add to an output. A distribution that includes a high likelihood of large noise values may lead to less useful output data. Conversely, a distribution that includes very low likelihood of large noise values may lead to less privacy. A distribution should be calculated to provide an appropriate level of output utility and privacy based on the query that is performed and the desired privacy level.