Hi,
I was wondering if there is a variable available in the American Community Survey that identifies who in the household answered the questionnaire. I found the variable RESPONDT, but it is only available for 1940. Is there an equivalent variable (or one similar to the CPS PROXY variable) for more recent years of the ACS?
Thank you,
Jessie
Although the person who fills out the ACS questionnaire is recorded on the front page of the ACS questionnaire, there is no variable in the Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) that identifies who this individual is. I can imagine that the person completing the form would most often list themselves as the household reference person (i.e., RELATE = 1). The survey instructions specify that the reference person should be someone in whose name the housing unit is owned, being bought, or rented. Therefore, if the individual completing the form did not meet this criteria, they are likely to designate someone else as the reference person. You may be able to obtain information on who actually completed the questionnaire by applying for access to the restricted use ACS microdata through a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC).