Census data glossary
Plain, linkable definitions for every dataset on PUMSdata — switch between the ACS PUMS data dictionary and the Building Permits Survey terms below. More datasets, more terms, as we add them.
Every variable in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 ACS Public Use Microdata Sample — 225 in all — with its definition, type, and full list of value codes.
Demographics (41)
Income & earnings (16)
Work & commute (23)
Education (7)
Housing & costs (70)
Household & family (14)
Health & disability (23)
Technology & internet (10)
Geography (8)
Identifiers & technical (7)
Other (6)
How every pre-calculated statistic on the map and in the tables is computed: the exact source variable (linked to its definition), the formula, and the universe it's measured over. Every figure uses the ACS survey weights, so results are population estimates.
Economic (18)
Weighted median of HINCP among occupied households.
Weighted median of FINCP among occupied households.
Weighted average of WAGP among workers with wage or salary income.
Weighted median of PINCP among people 15 and older.
Share of people for whom poverty status is determined where POVPIP is below 100.
Share of the civilian labor force (16+) where ESR is 3 (“Unemployed”).
Share of people 16 and older where ESR is one of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Weighted average of WKHP among workers reporting usual weekly hours.
Weighted average of INTP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of OCPIP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted average of OIP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of PAP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of PERNP among people 16 and older.
Weighted average of POVPIP among all people.
Weighted average of RETP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of SEMP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of SSIP among people 15 and older.
Weighted average of SSP among people 15 and older.
Education (2)
Health (4)
Share of all people where HICOV is 2 (“No health insurance coverage”).
Share of all people where PRIVCOV is 1 (“With private health insurance coverage”).
Share of all people where PUBCOV is 1 (“With public health coverage”).
Share of all people where DIS is 1 (“With a disability”).
Commute (5)
Weighted average of JWMNP among workers with a reported commute time.
Share of workers with a reported means of transportation to work where JWTRNS is 1.
Share of workers with a reported means of transportation to work where JWTRNS is one of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Share of workers with a reported means of transportation to work where JWTRNS is 11 (“Worked from home”).
Weighted average of WKWN among people 16 and older.
Housing (26)
Weighted median of VALP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of GRNTP among renter-occupied households.
Weighted median of GRPIP among renter-occupied households.
Share of occupied households where TEN is one of 1, 2.
Weighted average of NP among occupied households.
Weighted median of BDSP among occupied households.
Weighted median of RMSP among occupied households.
Weighted median of YRBLT among occupied households.
Weighted average of VEH among occupied households.
Share of occupied households where VEH is 0 (“No vehicles”).
Share of occupied households where BLD is 2.
Share of households with an internet subscription (the ACS internet-type universe) where BROADBND is 1 (“Yes”).
Weighted median of CONP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of ELEP among occupied households.
Weighted median of FULP among occupied households.
Weighted median of GASP among occupied households.
Weighted average of HHLDRAGEP among occupied households.
Weighted median of MHP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of MRGP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted average of NOC among occupied households.
Weighted average of NRC among occupied households.
Weighted median of RNTP among occupied households.
Weighted median of SMOCP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of SMP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of TAXAMT among owner-occupied households.
Weighted median of WATP among occupied households.
Demographics (8)
Weighted count of all people.
Weighted average of AGEP among all people.
Share of people 15 and older where MAR is 1 (“Married”).
Share of all people whose derived race/ethnicity (Hispanic of any race, else the RAC1P group) is “Hispanic”.
Share of all people whose derived race/ethnicity (Hispanic of any race, else the RAC1P group) is “Black”.
Share of all people whose derived race/ethnicity (Hispanic of any race, else the RAC1P group) is “Asian”.
Weighted average of INSP among owner-occupied households.
Weighted average of NPF among occupied households.
Work (43)
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 21 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 17 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 16 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 12 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 29 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 22 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 30 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 8 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 16 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 12 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 12 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 42 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 14 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 2100, 2105, 2145, 2170, 2180.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 20 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 18 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 28 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 6800, 6825, 6835, 6850, 6950.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 7 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 31 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 9800, 9810, 9825, 9830.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 50 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 60 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 18 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported occupation where OCCP is one of 32 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 0170, 0180, 0190, 0270, 0280, 0290.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 0770.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 79 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 0370, 0380, 0390, 0470, 0490.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 0570, 0580, 0590, 0670, 0680, 0690.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 21 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 11 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 7860, 7870, 7880, 7890.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 11 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 12 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 11 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 16 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 19 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 31 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 8370, 8380, 8390, 8470.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 12 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 7 listed codes.
Share of employed people with a reported industry where INDP is one of 8 listed codes.
The key terms behind the Census Building Permits Survey — structure types, units vs. buildings, valuation, geography, and methodology — in plain English.