I am currently working with the ACS data series. We are working on a project to match an estimation methodology that uses the IPUMS data using the ACS data files directly from the Census site.
We have noticed that the 5 year file from IPUM is significantly different compared to the files located from the Census website in terms of the class of worker variable (COW) in the Census ACS data dictionary for 5 year data there is a 0 category which represents-“.N/A (less than 16 years old/NILF who last worked more than 5 years ago or never worked)”.
However, the IPUM doesn’t have this category and my team suspects that IPUM allocates these 0 category class of worker observations to other classes.
Would someone be able to share with me the IPUM procedure of allocating the 0 category class of worker observations to other classes?
Thank you,
Mike
Perhaps I misunderstood your question, but IPUMS does have a class of worker (CLASSWKR) variable: usa.ipums.org/.../CLASSWKR
Hello Rebecca. Correct. the ACS 5 yr IPUMS does have a class of worker (CLASSWKR) but those counts by year is different compared to what is in the regular ACS 5 year data set on the Census website (COW). We are trying to determine how IPUMS allocates the class of worker 0 values.
I'm still confused. IPUMS has the code 0 = N/A for not in universe (<16 or haven't worked in last 5 years) and the COW variable has the same classification (coded b). Looking at the data dictionaries, the coding schema appears identical whether from IPUMS or from the Census Bureau PUMS files.I can't speak to the underlying distribution.