IPUMS: Census and Survey Data for Teaching and Research

• In Event: 2301 - Research Funding Opportunities and Data Resources Presentations: Session I

Abstract

IPUMS provides census and survey data from around the world integrated across time and space. Housed with the Minnesota Population Center, an interdisciplinary research and training center at the University of Minnesota, IPUMS is the world’s leading developer of harmonized census and survey data. Integrated data and documentation available through IPUMS make it easy to study change, conduct comparative research, merge information across data types, and analyze individuals within family and community context. IPUMS data and services are available free of charge, and more 190,000 researchers and students around the world have registered to use IPUMS datasets. IPUMS can be used for classroom assignments in undergraduate courses, masters and doctoral theses, and peer-reviewed sociological research.

Researchers can access census and survey microdata from the United States through IPUMS USA (decennial census and American Community Survey), IPUMS Health Surveys (National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey), IPUMS Time Use (American Time Use Survey and historical time use surveys), and IPUMS Higher Ed (Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System). Our international census and survey microdata holdings include IPUMS International (the world’s largest repository of international census data), IPUMS Global Health (Demographic and Health Surveys and PMA2020) as well as international time use data through IPUMS Time Use. IPUMS also offers summary data and boundary files for the United States through IPUMS NHGIS, and integrated population and environment data through IPUMS Terra.The IPUMS data access systems allow researchers to specify years, variables, and places relevant to their own research for each of our data collections.

In addition to offering integrated data free of charge, IPUMS data access systems include specialized tools to leverage our data collections. For example, our data access tools allow users to easily take advantage of rich information in microdata describing individuals within their household. IPUMS Time Use includes a tool to allow researchers to define and create their own time use variables. We also offer online tabulation for users who do not want to download data. In addition to providing data in an easy to use format, we provide comprehensive documentation and user support assistance.

Authors

• Catherine A. Fitch, University of Minnesota

• Elizabeth Heger Boyle, University of Minnesota