ACS Data Users Group

Hello. Does anyone know of any good documentation about the meaning of each of the PUMS variables? The data dictionaries only give the "full name" of the variables, not necessarily what they are. I recall seeing such a document at some point, but can't find it now. In particular, I'm trying to figure out how the variables "OC" ("Own Child"), "PAOC" (Presence and Age of Own Child), and "RC" ("Related Child") are the same/different.

Any help would be appreciated!

I usually use the glossary found on factfinder here: factfinder.census.gov/.../index.htm

Hopefully, someone has a better resource to share . . .

This is great, thanks. I hadn't found this yet.

I imagine you're looking for the subject definitions file. It's on the overall ACS Technical Documentation subsite for Codes, Lists, Definitions, and Accuracy. On the ACS PUMS Technical Documentation subsite for the same thing you can find the data dictionary.

See:
www.census.gov/.../code-lists.html

Subject Definitions
Definitions of population and housing variables to help you understand the results of the American Community Survey
pdf file 2016 Subject Definitions [7.9 MB]

You should look at the technical documentation, but also go to ipums.org, they have info on all of the Census data from day one and all the variables and how they changed.

Great, that's the document I remember seeing before, thanks!

IPUMS does not have these variables, but they process and clean data a bit differently than the data you would find on Census website. See usa.ipums.org/.../fam_inter.