Hi y’all I’m wondering if someone can help clarify what’s going on in the attached image. I’ve removed households in group quarters and have recoded RENT following the guidelines in the documentation where “0” is NA, “1” is "No Cash Rent (1980-1990) and anything greater than “1” is that value for RENT. The image then tabulates RENT by OWNERSHPD for the 1980 census, 1990 census, and 2000 census plus each 1 year ACS through 2019. What is confusing me is 1) why some people in 1980 have an “N/A” value for RENT but then a “Rented: With Cash Rent” value for OWNERSHPD 2) why some people with a “Rented: No Cash Rent” value for OWNERSHPD in 1980 have an “N/A” value for RENT (shouldn’t this just be no cash rent? What else could it be?) and 3) does a RENT value of “no cash rent” in 1980 and 1990 mean something different from a “Rented: No Cash Rent” for OWNERSHPD in subsequent years?
Thanks!
I can answer your questions and hopefully clarify what is happeneing here.
- Why do some people in 1980 have an “N/A” value for RENT and a “Rented: With Cash Rent” value for OWNERSHPD?
The universe tab for RENT states that in 1980 households with data for this variable include:
Renter-occupied or vacant-to-rent units, not one-family houses on 10+ acres (3+ cuerdas in Puerto Rico); not group quarters.
Single-family houses on 10+ acres that are rented with cash rent are these cases that you are seeing. The variable ACREHOUS, which is only available for single-family homes, can be used to identify such households on 10+ acres. Once these households are excluded, there will not be any observations with both OWNERSHPD = 22 (“Rented: With Cash Rent”) and RENT = 0.
- Why are there some people with a “Rented: No Cash Rent” value for OWNERSHPD in 1980 have an “N/A” value for RENT?
This also relates to single-family households on 10+ acres, but those who rent with no cash rent. This discrepancy is also addressed by restricting the analysis to households with ACREHOUS < 2. Once these households are excluded, there will not be any observations with both OWNERSHPD = 21 (“Rented: No Cash Rent”) and RENT = 0.
- Does a RENT value of “no cash rent” in 1980 and 1990 mean something different from a “Rented: No Cash Rent” for OWNERSHPD in subsequent years?
Outside of the universe differences, these two groups are conceptually equivalent. One place that can be a helpful reference is the original questionnaire text, which you can find by adding samples to your data cart and navigating to the questionnaire tab for RENT and OWNERSHP.
Regarding the universes, there are two main differences that can be identified from comparing the universe tabs:
(1) Single family homes on 10+ acres are excluded from the RENT = 1 (no cash rent) group in 1980, but are always included in OWNERSHPD = 21 (“Rented: No Cash Rent”).
(2) Vacant-to-rent units without cash rent are identified with RENT = 1 (no cash rent) in 1980 and 1990, but vacant-to-rent units have OWNERSHPD = 00 from 1970-onwards..
