Data Descriptions

Value Description
-1 Blank
-2 Don’t know
-3 Refused

CPS Survey Data Dictionary

Key Variables (19 variables)

Basic Demographics

  • HRHHID (Household ID): Unique identifier for each household surveyed.
  • PRTAGE (Age): The respondent’s age in years.
  • PESEX (Sex): The sex of the respondent (e.g., Male, Female).
  • PTDTRACE (Race): Detailed racial background of the respondent.
  • PEMARITL (Marital Status): Marital status of the respondent (e.g., Married, Single, Divorced).

Geographic Location

  • GEREG (Region): Census bureau region code where the respondent resides.
  • GESTFIPS (State): Federal Information Processing Standards code for the state.

Household Composition

  • HRNUMHOU (Number of Persons in Household): Total number of people living in the household.
  • HETENURE (Tenure of Housing): Whether the housing is rented or owned.

Economic and Employment Factors

  • HEFAMINC (Family Income): Total family income.
  • PEMLR (Employment Status): Employment status of the respondent (e.g., Employed, Unemployed).
  • PUWK (Weeks Worked): Number of weeks worked in the last year.
  • PEHRUSL1 (Usual Hours Worked): Usual number of hours worked per week.

Job Characteristics

  • PEMJOT (Multiple Jobs): Whether the respondent has more than one job.
  • PEHRWANT (Desired Working Hours): Number of hours the respondent wishes to work.
  • PUABSOT (Absent from Work): Reason for absence from work (e.g., Illness, Vacation).

Special Focus Variables

  • PEEDUCA (Education Level): Highest level of education attained.
  • PUDIS (Disability Status): Indicates whether the respondent has a reported disability.
  • PENATVTY (Country of Birth): Country of birth of the respondent.

Food Security Survey Data Dictionary

Key Variables (71 variables)

Basic Demographics

  • HRHHID (Household ID): Unique identifier for each household surveyed.

Food Purchasing and Expenses

  • HES1C: Food purchased last week from restaurants.

  • HES1D: Food purchased last week from other types of places.

  • HETS2O: Amount spent at supermarkets on food.

  • HETS3O: Amount spent at supermarkets on non-food items.

  • HETS4O: Amount spent at other food stores.

  • HETS5O: Amount spent on non-food items at other stores.

  • HETS6O: Amount spent on food at restaurants.

  • HETS7O: Amount spent on food at miscellaneous places.

  • HETS8O: Total amount spent on food last week.

  • HETS8OU: Usual weekly food expenditure.

Economic Strain and Food Sufficiency

  • HES8B: Financial adequacy for food needs.

  • HETS8CO: Additional weekly funds needed for food.

  • HETS8DO: Possible reduction in food expenditure without impact.

  • HES9: Money shortage for food in the last year.

Food Security and Household Conditions

  • HESS1: Food sufficiency.

  • HESS2: Variety of food available.

  • HESS3: Adequacy of meals.

  • HESS4: Meals missed due to lack of money.

  • HESSM2: Recent occurrence of HESS2 conditions.

  • HESSM3: Recent occurrence of HESS3 conditions.

  • HESSM4: Recent occurrence of HESS4 conditions.

Adult Food Security

  • HESH2: Adults skipped meals.

  • HESH3: Adults hungry but didn’t eat.

  • HESH4: Adults did not eat for a whole day.

  • HESH5: Adults cut meal size or skipped meals frequently.

  • HESHF2: Frequency of adults skipping meals.

  • HESHF3: Frequency of hunger without eating.

  • HESHF4: Frequency of not eating for a whole day.

  • HESHM2: Recent occurrence of adults skipping meals.

  • HESHM3: Recent occurrence of hunger without eating.

  • HESHM4: Recent occurrence of not eating for a whole day.

  • HETSHMF2: Monthly frequency of skipped meals.

  • HETSHMF3: Monthly frequency of hunger without eating.

  • HETSHMF4: Monthly frequency of not eating for a whole day.

Child Food Security

  • HESSH1: Children did not eat for a whole day.

  • HESSH5: Children cut meal size or skipped meals frequently.

  • HESSHF1: Frequency of children not eating for a whole day.

  • HESSHM1: Recent occurrence of children not eating for a whole day.

  • HETSSHMF1: Monthly frequency of children not eating for a whole day.

General and Administrative

  • HRPOOR: Household income relative to poverty level.

  • HRNUMHOU: Number of people in the household.

  • HRFS12CX, HRFS12M1, HRFS12MD, HRFS12M3, HRFS12M4, HRFS12MC, HRFS12M6, HRFS12M7, HRFS12M8, HRFS12M9, HRFS12ME: Specific codes for various household survey metrics (e.g., type of food security).

  • HRFS30D1 to HRFS30DE: Specific dates related to 30-day food security measurement

  • PWSUPWGT: Person-level supplemental weight.

  • HRSUPINT: Interview supplement status.