I am trying to use the ACS API (application programming interface) to download selected PUMS variables. There are 2 types of records (RT variable, "H"=Housing record "P" person record.) When I use the API examples: https://api.census.gov/data/2020/acs/acs5/pums/examples.html I only get "P" person records.
The census FTP site https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/pums/2020/5-Year/ has separate files for housing records and person records. I'm looking for a particular PUMA. If you download from the FTP site you get all the PUMS variables for all the PUMAs in a state. If you try to process these file you have to wait for the download and processing the resulting files is a real "memory hog" and takes forever. With the API you can download selected variables for a single PUMA. Any experts on the PUMS API out there ?
Dave Dorer
The following call would grab the Vacancy Status (VACS) and Property Value (VALP) - both household level variables - along with the household weight (WGTP) for PUMA 301 in Alabama (01). Just include &RT=H to specify housing records:
api.census.gov/.../pums
Dear Matthew,
Thanks ! worked great -- I'm all set. Wish online census information about the PUMS API were a little more complete.
Dave