# Income varialbe values & US variable

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/income-varialbe-values-us-variable/2222>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [March 16, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/income-varialbe-values-us-variable/2222 "2018-03-16T22:56:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![VaniaVillanueva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b38774/32.png) [@VaniaVillanueva](https://forum.ipums.org/u/VaniaVillanueva)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/income-varialbe-values-us-variable/2222/1 "2018-03-16T22:56:00Z")

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I am using IPUMS-ACS and need to know what these values : -9999 and 666000 mean in incwage variable.

Also, in the birthplace variable, I need to identify those born in the US, but I only find US states and not the whole country as birthplace. Is there any way to identify those born in the usa without grouping US states?

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**Author:** ![Michelle\_Pratt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/michelle_pratt/32/194_2.png) [@Michelle\_Pratt](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Michelle_Pratt)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/income-varialbe-values-us-variable/2222/2 "2018-03-19T14:18:00Z")

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As noted [here](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/INCWAGE#codes_section), INCWAGE is top coded. For the ACS from 2003 onward, it is at the 99.5th percentile in state. Therefore, 660000 is a top code, specifically, it looks like it is the top code for CT in 2007. You can find this information for all years [here](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/tothvarapp.shtml). Additionally, income amounts which can have negative values are bottom-coded, which would be why you observe -9999.

Regarding BPL, unfortunately, you will have to group the state together, however this should be relatively simple. [Codes](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/BPL#codes_section) for the United States (including Native American, no state given, and US outlying areas/territories) are from 001 - 120. Anything else up to 900 would be Non-US born.

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**Author:** ![VaniaVillanueva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b38774/32.png) [@VaniaVillanueva](https://forum.ipums.org/u/VaniaVillanueva)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/income-varialbe-values-us-variable/2222/3 "2018-03-21T21:12:00Z")

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Thanks so much for your response. It is very useful