Examples of Tabulating Data from The Public Use Microdata Samples of Censuses from 1850 through 2000 and the American Community Survey

For 2001 through 2007

1850-2007 June 24, 2009

The following exercises are all based on using PDQ-Explore to access the Census 2000 micro data in the IPACS08 data set. Each example makes use of the selection of data for certain or all years. The default sample weight assigned for this data set automatically selects only the first data set available for each year in the concatenated 1850-2007 file of decennial and ACS data.

Setup entries in PDQ-Explore are not case-sensitive. Variable names in the following exercises are in lower-case, but they may be entered in the setup windows in upper, lower, or mixed case.

Suggestion: Keep a window open to the IPUMS-USA documentation:

http://usa.ipums.org/usa

Click on “Variables” under “Documentation”

Example 1. / The Political Power of Each State
Question: / The leaders of every state hope for large population counts in their state since their representation in Congress and in the Electoral College depends upon their population size. How had the population size of each state, relative to the nation changed since 1850?
Query Type: / tabulation
Universe/Selection: / sex>0
Row: / statefip
Column: / year
For:
Weight: / Default
Options: / Percent by column then sort by percent if you wish.
Example 2. / Mexican population of the United States
Question: / Mexico has been a major source of immigrants to the United States. And the 1840s war with Spain added a large Mexican population and Mexican area to the United States? How has the Mexican born population of the United States change since 1870? What about the Canadian born population?
Query Type: / tabulation
Universe/Selection: / year>1869 & sex>0 & (bpl=150| bpl=200)
Row: / year
Column: / bpl
For:
Weight: / Default
Options:
Example 3. / Ancestry or Ethnic Differences in Earnings among White
Question: / From 1870 through 1960, the census asked place of birth of parents. The foreign born population declined in size so the Census Bureau switched to asking every one about their ancestry. Consider 1990 and 2007 and only people who said they were whites by race. Were their any ethnic differences in average annual earnings by ethnicity for white adults who reported positive earnings? Does the pattern differ for men and women?
Query Type: / summary statistics
Universe/Selection: / (year=1990 | year=2007)& age>24 & age<65 & incwage>0 & incwage<999999 & race=1
Row: / Ancestr1
Column: / year
For: / sex
Weight: / Default
Describe expression / Incwage (sort by descending or ascending means. Please watch sample size)
Example 4.
Question / The demographic history of the United States is a story of compositional changes. People from Africa, the British Isles, and Germany made up most of the population at the time of the Revolution along with a substantial number of indigenous Americans. Later the Irish, Italians and Eastern Europeans changed the composition. Since the late 1960s, Latin Americans and Asians have contributed greatly to the nation’s demographic growth and vitality. Every respondent was asked about their ancestry in censuses since 1980 and in the ACS. How has the ancestry composition of the white population changed in the last three decades:
Query Type: / tabulation
Universe/Selection: / year>1979 & race=1
Row: / ancestr1
Column: / year
For:
Weight: / Default
Options: / Percent by column if you wish
Example 5
Question. / Among the most substantial demographic change in the United States since President Eisenhower left office, is the change in the marital status of adults. Early marriage used to be the norm but that is no longer the situation. How has the marital status distribution of men and women aged 20 to 24 changed since 1880? What about men and women 65 to 69?
Query Type: / tabulation
Universe/Selection: / year>1879 & age>19 & age<25 (or age>64 & age<70)
Row: / year
Column: / marst
For: / sex
Weight: / Default
Options: / Percent by row
Example 6. / Industries of employment change greatly over time. Detroit appears to be suffering now from changes in vehicle employment and wages. Consider the years 1940, 1950, 1980, 2000 and 2007. Consider men and women who reported wage and salary earnings. Compared to other metropolises in this country, where did metropolitan Detroit rank in each of these years?
Question:
Query Type: / summary statistics
Universe/Selection: / (year=1940|year=1950|year=1980|year=2000|year=2007)& incwage>0 & incwage<999999
Row: / metaread
Column: / Year
For: / Sex
Weight: / Default
Describe expression / inctot
Options: / Sort by means in descending or ascending order