Public Use File - Technical Description

TYPE OF FILE

Microdata; unit of observation is individuals, families, and households.

UNIVERSE DESCRIPTION

The universe is the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States living in housing units and members of the Armed Forces living in civilian housing units on a military base or in a household not on a military base. A probability sample is used in selecting housing units.

SUBJECT-MATTER DESCRIPTION

This file, also known as the Annual Demographic File, provides the usual monthly labor force data, but in addition, provides supplemental data on work experience, income, noncash benefits, and migration. Comprehensive work experience information is given on the employment status, occupation, and industry of persons 15 years old and over. Additional data for persons 15 years old and older are available concerning weeks worked and hours per week worked, reason not working full time, total income and income components, and residence on March 1, 1995. Data on employment and income refer to the preceding year, although demographic data refer to the time of the survey.

This file also contains data covering nine noncash income sources: food stamps, school lunch program, employer-provided group health insurance plan, employer-provided pension plan, personal health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, CHAMPUS or military health care, and energy assistance.

Characteristics such as age, sex, race, household relationship, and Hispanic origin are shown for each person in the household enumerated.

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

States, regions and divisions are identified in their entirety. Within confidentiality restrictions; indicators are provided for consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSA), 173 selected metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), 69 selected primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSA), 217 counties, and 41 central cities in multi-central city metropolitan statistical areas or primary metropolitan statistical areas. Also within confidentiality restrictions, indicators are provided for metropolitan/nonmetropolitan, central city/balance metropolitan, MSA/CMSA size and MSA/PMSA size.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

File Structure: Hierarchical.

File Size:

Record Record Record
Type Number Size

Household 63,339 836 Characters

Family 55,882 836 Characters

Person 130,476 836 Characters

Total 249,697 836 Characters

File Sort Sequence: Census state code (HG-ST60), then MSA/PMSA code (HG-MSAC)

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Current Population Survey, March 1996 Technical Documentation. The documentation includes this abstract, pertinent information about the file, a glossary, code lists, and a data dictionary. One copy accompanies each file order. When ordered separately, it is available from Administrative and Customer Services Division, Customer Services, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

RELATED PRINTED REPORTS

Data from the March Current Population Survey are published most frequently in the Current Population Reports P-20 and P-60 series. These reports are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. They also are available on the INTERNET at http://www.census.gov. Forthcoming reports will be cited in Census and You, the Monthly Product Announcement (MPA), and the Bureau of the Census Catalog and Guide.

RELATED MACHINE-READABLE DATA FILES

A public use edition of the Current Population Survey, March file is available for 1976, 1978, and 1979. For 1980, 1984, and 1988 two March files are available for each year. The first March 1980 file contains estimates based on 1970 population counts and should be used for historical comparisons ending in 1980. The reweighted March 1980 file contains estimates based on results of the 1980 census and should be used for comparisons between 1981 and 1984.

In 1984, the Bureau of the Census introduced a step into the March second stage weighting procedure to control individual weights to independent estimates of the Hispanic population. Since this introduction caused a major disruption in the Hispanic estimates from March two data files were created. The first file, without the Hispanic controls should be used for comparing estimates for years prior to 1984 and the second file should be used for comparison with 1985 and later files.

From March 1989 forward, data on the Annual Demographic File are processed using the rewrite system. The rewrite system includes revised procedures to match supplement records to basic CPS records; revised weighting procedures; revised demographic and family edits; revised imputation procedures; and more income detail on the file.

For March 1988 there are two files, the regular Annual Demographic File and the Annual Demographic Rewrite File. The rewrite file has been prepared to allow historical comparison of data from the rewrite processing system implemented between 1988 and 1989. It is recommended that the rewrite file be used when comparing data collected from the March Annual Demographic Supplement from 1988 forward. Use the regular file, released in 1988, when comparing data from 1988 and prior years.

This is not to say, however, that comparisons cannot be made between years before and after 1988. When such analyses are done, for example between 1986 through 1989, data users must consider that similarities or differences between the data may be caused or effected by the rewritten system. Thus, comparing estimates from the 1988 rewrite files and the 1988 regular file will reveal the extent of any differences caused by the processing system changes though not the specific change. The magnitude of the difference can then be applied to the estimates from 1986 and 1989 to reveal whether any real differences exist. There were several revisions made to the processing programs; therefore, it is difficult to determine which specific revision effected the differences or similarities in the data.

Some non-March data also are available from 1968 to present. For more information, request the Data Developments on the Current Population Survey from Administrative and Customer Services Division, Customer Services, Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.

FILE AVAILABILITY

The files may be ordered from Administrative and Customer Services Division, Customer Services, using the order form on the following page. They are available on computer tape at 6250 bpi; ASCII or EBCDIC, and standard ANSI labeling. The file also will be available on CD-ROM and the INTERNET through the Data Extraction System by clicking on Data Access Tools from the Census Bureau's Home Page at http://www.census.gov

Annual Demographic Survey (March 1996 CPS) Public Use File Page

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