# Missing FIPS Code

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/missing-fips-code/4230>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [July 13, 2021, 10:11am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/missing-fips-code/4230 "2021-07-13T10:11:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gordon\_Elnagar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@Gordon\_Elnagar](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Gordon_Elnagar)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 10:11am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/missing-fips-code/4230/1 "2021-07-13T10:11:53Z")

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Hello All,

When I import any of the following files: .csv, .dta, et al I am left with missing FIPS codes in my imported file. Every other variable shows up, except for that one… Could someone please help?

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**Author:** ![KariWilliams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@KariWilliams](https://forum.ipums.org/u/KariWilliams)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 1:33pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/missing-fips-code/4230/2 "2021-07-14T13:33:32Z")

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About half of US counties cannot be identified in the ACS public use microdata sample data (this is slightly higher than the proportion that can be identified in the CPS). IPUMS identifies counties, where possible, from other low-level geographic identifiers; the lowest geographic identifier available in the public use data for 1950-forward is a [public use microdata area (PUMA)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/puma#description_section). I am linking a [blogpost](http://blog.popdata.org/ipums-faqs-missing-u-s-counties/) on the topic; the [COUNTYICP description page](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/COUNTYICP#description_section) includes a spreadsheet of identified counties in the 1950-forward data as well. I looked at your latest IPUMS USA data extract and did see valid COUNTYICP values included (it looks like just over 40% are assigned to 0, indicating they cannot be identified from the public-use data).