The Household Pulse Survey asks individuals about their experiences in terms of employment status, food security, housing, physical and mental health, access to health care, and educational disruption. Additional topics have been added to the survey as the pandemic has continued and has impacted households in new ways over time. A full accounting of all phases of topics covered by the Household Pulse can be found on the Census Bureau’s website.
The data collected will enable the Census Bureau to produce statistics at the national and state levels and for the 15 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (metro areas).
What information does the Household Pulse Survey collect?
Phase 1 of the Household Pulse Survey asked individuals about their experiences in terms of employment status, food security, housing, physical and mental health, access to health care, and educational disruption. Phase 1 also included an interactive data tool that has been replaced for Phase 2, but users can still access all Phase 1 indicators.
For Phase 2, the survey carries over many of these questions to allow users to understand how these domains are changing as the pandemic continues, and will include additional questions on the application and receipt of benefits, spending patterns, and availability of financial resources, post-secondary education disruptions, capacity to telework, and travel practices.
The data collected will enable the Census Bureau to produce statistics at the national and state levels and for the 15 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (metro areas).
How is the Household Pulse Survey Different from Other Surveys Conducted by the Census Bureau?
The Household Pulse Survey was designed to be a short-turnaround instrument that provides valuable data to aid in the pandemic recovery. The Census Bureau is fielding the Household Pulse Survey as a part of the agency’s Experimental Data Series; as such, data products may not meet some of the Census Bureau’s statistical quality standards. Data are subject to suppression based on overall response and disclosure avoidance thresholds.