Data by Type
Chartbooks
Using data from statistical publications, such as the Annual Statistical Supplement and Income of the Population 55 or Older, the chartbooks present important information about the people served by the Social Security Administration's programs and the benefits they receive. The information is presented clearly in charts and tables that are easy to understand.
Program Descriptions
Several Office of Policy publications highlight the principal features of social security programs here and abroad. They provide information on such topics as coverage, eligibility, program administration, sources of funding, regulatory framework and applicable legislation, and benefits available under the program.
Public-Use Microdata Files
Public-use microdata files are subsets of survey or administrative data that are released to the public with all identifying information removed. Those files are valuable because they can be used for statistical analysis and research studies that cannot be carried out using aggregate information. Public-use microdata files enable researchers to create summary information that meets specialized needs and to investigate relations among variables that are not apparent based on aggregate information.
Statistical Compilations
The Office of Policy produces numerous statistical reports that give a broad overview of the scope of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs. The data describe the characteristics of beneficiaries—for example, age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, and type of disability—and the type of benefits they receive (retired-worker, survivors, disabled-worker benefits, and so on). The data are also presented by state and, in some reports, by county or congressional district.
