My read of the documentation indicates that the variable CBSASZ contains representative subsamples from a geographic perspective because it’s based on core based statistical areas. Is this correct? Thank you!
I am not exactly sure what you mean when you say “representative sub-samples,” so feel free to follow up with additional detail if necessary. The CBSASZ variable identifies the total population size (broken down into intervals) for metropolitan statistical areas. So, for every household or person in a given sample, this variable will identify: if a household is either not identifiable or not in a metropolitan area (see METRO for more detail on this) or if a household is in a metropolitan area represented by one of five different population size intervals.
Thanks, Jeff. We are using those variables in our research.