ASECWT04 is a 7-digit numeric variable.

Description

In July 2005, the Census Bureau recalculated weights for 2004 using more age detail for children. These calculations, which produce the official weights used in the 2005 and 2006 ASEC supplements, provide better estimates of children by single year of age. ASECWT04 is an alternative person-level weight to ASECWT, which was the person weight originally released with the 2004 data. For 2004, both of these person weights are made available through the IPUMS.

The CPS uses a complex stratified sampling scheme, and either ASECWT or ASECWT04 must be used to produce unbiased statistics from IPUMS-CPS. Researchers should use WTFINL rather than WTSUPP/PERWT04 when they wish to reproduce the published Bureau of Labor Statistics figures based on basic monthly survey questions, and should use EARNWT for a small number of person-level variables (EARNWEEK, HOURWAGE, PAIDHOUR, and UNION). Researchers should use ASECWTH or ASECWTH04 for household-level analyses.

PERWT04 is based on the inverse probability of selection into the sample and adjustments for the following factors: failure to obtain an interview; sampling within large sample units; the known distribution of the entire population according to age, sex, and race; over-sampling Hispanic persons; to give husbands and wives the same weight; and an additional step to provide consistency with labor force estimates from the basic survey.

Members of the armed forces and persons included in the Hispanic over-sample have a non-zero value for ASECWT04 but are coded as zero in WTFINL.

Comparability

ASECWT04 is only available in 2004.

Comparability with IPUMS-USA

Universe

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Unharmonized Variables