American Time Use Survey

American Time Use Survey

June 22, 2010
In 2009, employed persons worked an average of 7.5 hours on the days that they worked; they worked longer on weekdays (7.9 hours) than on weekend days (5.0 hours). Eighty-five percent of women and 67 percent of men spent some time doing household activities such as housework, cooking, lawn care, or financial and other household management on a given day. More...
(HTML) (PDF)

Married Parents' Use of Time Summary

May 08, 2008
In the years 2003-06, married mothers who were employed full time were more likely to do household activities and provide childcare on an average day than were married fathers who were employed full time. Among full-time workers, married fathers were more likely to work than were married mothers. More...
(HTML) (PDF)

Archived

• Time Use Survey, 2008 (HTML) (PDF)
• Time Use Survey, 2007 (HTML) (PDF)
• Time Use Survey, 2006 (HTML) (PDF)
• Time Use Survey, 2005 (TXT) (PDF)
• Time Use Survey, 2004 (TXT) (PDF)
• Time Use Survey, 2003 (TXT) (PDF) (Corrections)
• To receive e-mail announcements about the American Time Use Survey, please contact the ATUS staff.

Tables

Civilian noninstitutional population age 15 and over

Table A-1. Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed activity category, averages per day by sex (PDFs) (2009) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2005) (2004) (2003) | (XLS)

Table A-2. Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed primary activity category, averages per day on weekdays and weekends (PDFs) (2009) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2005) (2004) (2003) | (XLS)

Table A-3. Percent of the population engaging in selected activities by time of day, 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)

Employed persons

Table A-4. Percent of employed persons working on their main job on days they worked, by occupation and hour of day,
2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)

Table A-5. Percent of employed persons working on their main job on days they worked, by industry and hour of day,
2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) 2003-07 (HTML) (PDF)

Married parents

Note: Tables A-6 and A-7 are updated and expanded versions of the tables appearing in the May 8, 2008 news release on Married Parents' Use of Time. To access the 2003-06 versions of these tables, see the news release.

NEW Table A-6. Time spent in primary activities and the percent of married mothers and fathers who did the activities on an average day by employment status and age of youngest own household child, average for the combined years 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS)

NEW Table A-7. Time spent in primary activities by married mothers and fathers with own household children under 18 by employment status of self and spouse and age of youngest child, average for the combined years 2005-09 (HTML) (PDF) (XLS)

Additional tables are available in ATUS news releases.

Unpublished tables of time-use estimates by age, ethnicity, employment status, educational attainment, marital status, presence and age of household children, and other categories are available upon request by e-mailing the ATUS staff.

UPDATED Charts

• About the charts

• List of ATUS charts
  • Overview of charts
  • Older Americans
  • Students
  • Child care
  • Household activities
  • Leisure and sports activities
  • Sleep
  • Volunteer activities
  • Work and employment

Data Files

Single-Year Data Files

• American Time Use Survey—2009 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2008 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2007 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2006 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2005 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2004 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2003 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2008 Eating & Health Module Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2007 Eating & Health Module Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2006 Eating & Health Module Microdata files

Multi-Year Data Files

• American Time Use Survey—2003-09 Microdata files
• American Time Use Survey—2003-08 Microdata files
• The 2003-07 American Time Use Survey Microdata files have been archived. The newer multi-year microdata files listed above include data from the 2003-07 ATUS.

How to use ATUS microdata files

Survey Documentation

Data files do not contain time-use estimates. Time-use estimates are available from:

• ATUS News Releases
• ATUS Tables
• ATUS Charts

Survey Documentation

• ATUS User's Guide (PDF)
• ATUS Coding Lexicons
• ATUS Data Dictionaries
• Changes between the 2003-2009 Data Files (PDF)
• ATUS Coding Rules Manual (PDFs): (2009) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2005) (2004) (2003)
• ATUS Frequently Used Variables (PDF)
• ATUS Questionnaire (PDF)
• Conversion Chart: Fraction of an Hour to Minutes (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a time-use survey?
2. When did the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) begin?
3. Who conducts the ATUS?
4. Who is asked to respond to the ATUS?
5. I was asked to participate in the ATUS. Where can I find more information about participating in the survey?
6. Who uses the information from the ATUS?
7. How often are ATUS microdata published?

All ATUS FAQs »

Email: ATUS staff
Telephone number: (202) 691-6339
Fax number: (202) 691-6426
Postal address: American Time Use Survey
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Suite 4675
Washington, DC 20212-0001