HWTFINL is a 10-digit numeric variable.

Description

HWTFINL is a household-level weight that should be used to generate statistics about households. The CPS uses a complex stratified sampling scheme, and HWTFINL must be used to produce unbiased household-level statistics from IPUMS-CPS basic monthly samples. For analyses of March Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) data, researchers should use HWTSUPP (This variable was renamed. Please see this renaming scheme for more information.). For individual-level analyses, researchers should use WTFINL, WTSUPP, or EARNWT.

HWTFINL generally has the same value as WTFINL for the household head or reference person. Vacant housing units and households that could not be interviewed due to residents' absence or refusal to participate have a value of zero in HWTFINL; such sampled units were included in the public use CPS data beginning in 1988.

Comparability

Apart from changes in the universe of this variable, HWTFINL is largely consistent across all years. Prior to 1976, the data include a small number of valid negative values; thereafter, HWTFINL has only positive values.

Comparability with IPUMS-USA

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_HHWGT_B1
• UH_HHWGT_B2