Subjects Included in the PUMS

The PUMS dataset includes variables for nearly every subject included in the survey, as well as many new variables that were derived after the fact from multiple survey responses (such as poverty status).

Since all ACS responses are strictly confidential, many variables in the PUMS files have been modified in order to protect the confidentiality of survey respondents. For instance, particularly high incomes are "top-coded", uncommon birthplace or ancestry responses are grouped into broader categories, and the PUMS files provide a very limited set of geographic variables.

In general, the housing record contains information about the housing unit and about the household as a unit. The person record contains information about individual household members. A listing of the subjects included in the PUMS, with an example of a variable included in each subject, is provided below.

For a complete listing of the variables available in the PUMS, see the PUMS Data Dictionaries.

Housing Record Subjects

Financial Characteristics Example PUMS variable
Agricultural Sales/Commercial Use AGS - Sales of agricultural products
Cost of Utilities/Fuels GASP - Gas (monthly cost)
Fire, Hazard, and Flood Insurance INSP - Fire/hazard/flood insurance (yearly amount)
Housing Costs OCPIP - Selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income
Value of Home VALP - Property value
Physical Characteristics  
Rooms/Bedrooms BDSP - Number of bedrooms
Computer Ownership & Internet Access
ACCESS - Access to the Internet
House Heating Fuel HFL - House heating fuel
Kitchen & Plumbing Facilities RWAT - Hot and cold running water
Lot Size ACR - Lot size
Telephone Service Available TEL - Telephone
Units in Structure BLD - Units in structure
Year Structure Built YBL -When structure first built
Household Characteristics  
Food Stamps/SNAP FS - Yearly food stamp/SNAP recipiency
Household & Family Type MULTG - Multigenerational household
Household & Family Income FINCP - Family income (past 12 months)
Households with Grandparent NPP - Grandparent headed household with no parent present
Occupancy & Vacancy Status VACS - Vacancy status
Vehicles Available VEH - Vehicles (1 ton or less available)
Year Householder Moved Into Unit MV - When moved into this house or apartment

Person Record Subjects

Demographic Characteristics            
Example PUMS Variable                                                                       
Age
AGEP - Age
Hispanic or Latino Origin
HISP - Recoded detailed Hispanic origin
Race
RAC1P - Recoded detailed race code
Relationship
RELP - Relationship
Sex
SEX - Sex
Social Characteristics
 
Ancestry
ANC1P - Recoded detailed ancestry - first entry
Citizenship Status
YOEP - Year of entry
Disability Status
DREM - Cognitive difficulty
Educational Attainment
SCHL - Educational attainment
Fertility
FER - Gave birth to child within the past 12 months
Field of Degree
FOD1P - Recoded field of degree - first entry
Grandparents as Caregivers
GCM - Length of time responsible for grandchildren
Language LANP - Language spoken at home
Marital Status & History
MARHM - Married in the past 12 months
Migration/Residence 1 Year Ago
MIG - Mobility status (lived here 1 year ago)
Place of Birth
POBP - Place of birth
School Enrollment
SCH - School enrollment
Veteran Status
VPS - Veteran period of service
Economic Characteristics
 
Class of Worker
COW - Class of worker
Commuting to Work
JWTR - Means of transportation to work
Employment Status
ESP - Employment status of parents
Health Insurance Coverage
HINS2 - Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company
Hours & Weeks Worked
WKHP - Usual hours worked per week past 12 months
Income & Earnings
SEMP - Self-employment income (past 12 months)
Industry & Occupation
OCCP - Occupation recodes for 2012 and later based on 2010 OCC codes
Last Week Work Status
NWLK - Looking for work
Poverty
POVPIP - Income-to-poverty ratio recode