Description

BUILTYR reports the estimated age of the structure, in years. The original question asked the year in which the structure was first completed. For the IPUMS, the age of structures was calculated from these answers to create a variable more comparable across years.

This variable is particularly susceptible to response errors and non-reporting, since respondents often relied on their memory or estimation to arrive at an answer. In the 1990 U.S. Census only, the questionnaire included a "don't know" response (the 1990 Puerto Rican census did not include a "don't know" response), but the Census Bureau allocated values for those cases, so the "don't know" response does not appear in the IPUMS.

Comparability

Apart from different topcodes, this variable is comparable across census years and the 2000 ACS. This variable is not available in the ACS or PRCS samples after 2000. Those samples provide the similar variable BUILTYR2. It was not possible to produce a single harmonized variable across the years 1960-2003.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: --
• 2020: --
• 2019: --
• 2018: --
• 2017: --
• 2016: --
• 2015: --
• 2014: --
• 2013: --
• 2012: --
• 2011: --
• 2010: --
• 2009: --
• 2008: --
• 2007: --
• 2006: --
• 2005: --
• 2004: --
• 2003: --
• 2002: --
• 2001: --
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1960: All samples
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: --
• 2020: --
• 2019: --
• 2018: --
• 2017: --
• 2016: --
• 2015: --
• 2014: --
• 2013: --
• 2012: --
• 2011: --
• 2010: --
• 2009: --
• 2008: --
• 2007: --
• 2006: --
• 2005: --
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

There is no editing procedure available for this variable.