Annual Demographic Survey (March Supplement)

How to Produce Summary Statistics

Each household, family, and person has a weight that should be used in producing population-level statistics. The weight reflects the probability sampling process and estimation procedures designed to account for nonresponse and undercoverage. Unweighted counts can be very misleading and should not be used in demographic or labor force analysis.

To produce an estimate of a population level, simply sum the final supplement person weights for all sample persons having the desired characteristic. To make an estimate using a continuous variable (for example, total wage and salary income), sum the variable multiplied by the weight for the appropriate set of persons. Rates, averages, and other types of estimates can be made by manipulating these two types of weighted totals. For example, to compute the average wage and salary income for all persons who reported wage and salary income, first sum the weights (MARSUPWT) for each person with the variable WSAL_YN=1. Next, for the same set of people, sum the weight*total wage and salary income (MARSUPWT*WSAL_VAL). Finally, divide the total weighted wage and salary amount by the weighted number of persons who reported wage and salary income.

Annual Demographic Survey (March 1996 CPS) Making Estimates Page

CPS Home Page

Author: Cathy Dippo-BLS
Contact: (ask.census.gov) CPS Help-Census/DSD/CPSB
Last modified: September 25, 1996
URL: http://www.bls.census.gov/cps/ads/1995/ssumstat.htm