# Head of Household in ACS data

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/head-of-household-in-acs-data/360>\
**Category:** USA\
**Created:** [December 3, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/head-of-household-in-acs-data/360 "2013-12-03T15:49:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aglicksman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce73a5/32.png) [@aglicksman](https://forum.ipums.org/u/aglicksman)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/head-of-household-in-acs-data/360/1 "2013-12-03T15:49:00Z")

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We are trying to determine how many older adults in the state live with an adult child where the older adult is the head of household. Is there a way using the IPUMS ACS data to compute that number?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![grover](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/grover/32/5_2.png) [@grover](https://forum.ipums.org/u/grover)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/head-of-household-in-acs-data/360/2 "2013-12-03T17:56:00Z")

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This sounds very possible using IPUMS-USA ACS samples. You can identify households with older adult heads of household using a combination of [AGE](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/AGE#description_section) and [RELATE](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/RELATE#description_section). RELATE could also help identify adult children of the head of household. You could also make use of the [Family Interrelationship](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/group/fam_inter) variables to identify adult children living with their mother or father.

I hope this helps.