ATUS Data Dictionary (Simplified)
2025 American Time Use Survey — Interview Data Variables
Introduction
This is a simplified version of the official 2025 ATUS Interview Data Dictionary, prepared for classroom use. It keeps only the variable Name and Description for every variable across the six ATUS interview data files (Respondent, Roster, Activity, Who, Eldercare Roster, and Activity Summary files), and groups variables into thematic sections rather than strict alphabetical order.
For full details on valid values, universes, and file locations, consult the original codebook, atusintcodebk25.pdf.
A quick naming note: variables starting with T were collected/created through the ATUS interview. The second letter tells you the variable type — E = edited response, R = recode (calculated from other variables), RT = summary variable (time totals), X = allocation flag, T = topcode flag.
Identifiers & Linking Variables
Variables used to link records across the different ATUS files.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TUCASEID | ATUS Case ID (14-digit identifier) |
| TULINENO | ATUS person line number |
| TUACTIVITY_N | Activity line number |
| TUECLNO | Line number of eldercare recipient |
| TUBUSL1 | TULINENO of farm or business owner (first owner) |
| TUBUSL2 | TULINENO of farm or business owner (second owner) |
| TUBUSL3 | TULINENO of farm or business owner (third owner) |
| TUBUSL4 | TULINENO of farm or business owner (fourth owner) |
Demographics & Household Composition
Age, sex, family relationships, and household structure.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TEAGE | Edited: age |
| TESEX | Edited: sex |
| TERRP | Edited: how is this person related to you? |
| TRNUMHOU | Number of people living in respondent’s household |
| TRCHILDNUM | Number of household children < 18 |
| TRHHCHILD | Presence of household children < 18 |
| TRNHHCHILD | Presence of own non-household child < 18 |
| TROHHCHILD | Presence of own household children < 18 |
| TRYHHCHILD | Age of youngest household child < 18 |
| TRSPPRES | Presence of the respondent’s spouse or unmarried partner in the household |
| TESPEMPNOT | Edited: employment status of spouse or unmarried partner |
| TESPUHRS | Edited: usual hours of work of spouse or unmarried partner |
| TRSPFTPT | Full time or part time employment status of spouse or unmarried partner |
| TUSPABS | In the last seven days, did your spouse or unmarried partner have a job either full or part time? |
| TUSPUSFT | Does your spouse or unmarried partner usually work 35 hours or more per week? |
| TUSPWK | In the last seven days, did your spouse or unmarried partner do any work for pay or profit? |
| TUDIS | Last time we spoke to someone in this household you were reported to have a disability. Does your disability prevent you from doing any kind of work for the next six months? |
| TUDIS1 | Does your disability prevent you from accepting any kind of work during the next six months? |
| TUDIS2 | Do you have a disability that prevents you from accepting any kind of work during the next six months? |
Education
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TESCHENR | Edited: are you enrolled in high school, college, or university? |
| TESCHFT | Edited: are you enrolled as a full-time or part-time student? |
| TESCHLVL | Edited: would that be high school, college, or university? |
Labor Force Status & Employment
Employment status, work hours, job search, layoff, retirement, and family business questions.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TELFS | Edited: labor force status |
| TEMJOT | Edited: in the last seven days did you have more than one job? |
| TRDPFTPT | Full time or part time employment status of respondent |
| TEHRFTPT | Edited: do you usually work more than 35 hours per week at your job(s)/family business? |
| TEHRUSL1 | Edited: how many hours per week do you usually work at your main job? |
| TEHRUSL2 | Edited: how many hours per week do you usually work at your other job(s)? |
| TEHRUSLT | Edited: total hours usually worked per week (sum of TEHRUSL1 and TEHRUSL2) |
| TEABSRSN | Edited: what was the main reason you were absent from your job last week? |
| TUABSOT | In the last seven days, did you have a job either full or part time? |
| TUFWK | In the last seven days did you do any work for pay or profit? |
| TULAY | During the last seven days were you on layoff from your job? |
| TULAY6M | Have you been given any indication that you will be recalled to work within the next 6 months? |
| TULAYAVR | Why could you not have started a job in the last week? |
| TULAYDT | Has your employer given you a date to return to work? (to layoff job) |
| TELAYAVL | Edited: could you have returned to work in the last seven days if you had been recalled? |
| TELAYLK | Edited: even though you expect to be called back to work, have you been looking for work during the last four weeks? |
| TULK | Have you been doing anything to find work during the last four weeks? |
| TULKAVR | Why could you not have started a job last week? |
| TELKAVL | Edited: could you have started a job in the last seven days if one had been offered? |
| TELKM1 | Edited: what are all of the things you have done to find work during the last 4 weeks? (first method) |
| TULKDK1 | You said you have been trying to find work. How did you go about looking? (first method) |
| TULKDK2 | TULKDK1 text: (second method) |
| TULKDK3 | TULKDK1 text: (third method) |
| TULKDK4 | TULKDK1 text: (fourth method) |
| TULKDK5 | TULKDK1 text: (fifth method) |
| TULKDK6 | TULKDK1 text: (sixth method) |
| TULKM2 | What are all of the things you have done to find work during the last 4 weeks? (second method) |
| TULKM3 | TULKM2 text: (third method) |
| TULKM4 | TULKM2 text: (fourth method) |
| TULKM5 | TULKM2 text: (fifth method) |
| TULKM6 | TULKM2 text: (sixth method) |
| TULKPS1 | Can you tell me more about what you did to search for work? (first method) |
| TULKPS2 | TULKPS1 text: (second method) |
| TULKPS3 | TULKPS1 text: (third method) |
| TULKPS4 | TULKPS1 text: (fourth method) |
| TULKPS5 | TULKPS1 text: (fifth method) |
| TULKPS6 | TULKPS1 text: (sixth method) |
| TERET1 | Edited: do you currently want a job, either full or part time? |
| TURETOT | The last time we spoke to someone in this household you were reported to be retired. Are you still retired? |
| TRLVMODR | Leave module respondent |
| TUBUS | Does anyone in the household own a business or a farm? |
| TUBUS1 | In the last seven days, did you do any unpaid work in the family business or farm? |
| TUBUS2OT | Do you receive payments or profits from the business? |
| TUIO1MFG | Is this business or organization mainly manufacturing, retail trade, wholesale trade, or something else? (main job) |
| TUIODP1 | Last time we spoke to someone in this household, you were reported to work for (employer’s name). Do you still work for (employer’s name)? (main job) |
| TUIODP2 | Have the usual activities and duties of your job changed since (month of CPS interview)? (main job) |
| TUIODP3 | Last time we spoke to someone in this household, you were reported as (occupation) and your usual duties were (activities). Is this an accurate description of your current job? (main job) |
Job Characteristics: Industry & Occupation
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TEIO1COW | Edited: individual class of worker code (main job) |
| TEIO1ICD | Edited: industry code (main job) |
| TEIO1OCD | Edited: occupation code (main job) |
| TRDTIND1 | Detailed industry recode (main job) |
| TRDTOCC1 | Detailed occupation recode (main job) |
| TRIMIND1 | Intermediate industry recode (main job) |
| TRMJIND1 | Major industry recode (main job) |
| TRMJOCC1 | Major occupation recode (main job) |
| TRMJOCGR | Major occupation category (main job) |
Earnings & Pay
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TEERN | Edited: total weekly earnings from overtime pay, tips, and commissions (2 implied decimals) |
| TEERNH1O | Edited: excluding overtime pay, tips, and commissions, what is your hourly rate of pay on your main job? (2 implied decimals) |
| TEERNH2 | Edited: excluding overtime pay, tips, and commissions, what is your hourly rate of pay on your main job? (2 implied decimals) |
| TEERNHRO | Edited: how many hours do you usually work per week at this rate? |
| TEERNHRY | Edited: hourly/non-hourly status |
| TEERNPER | Edited: for your main job, what is the easiest way for you to report your total earnings before taxes or other deductions: hourly, weekly, annually, or some other way? |
| TEERNRT | Edited: even though you told me it is easier to report your earnings another way, are you paid at an hourly rate on this job? |
| TEERNUOT | Edited: do you usually receive overtime pay, tips, or commissions at your main job? |
| TEERNWKP | Edited: how many weeks a year do you get paid? |
| TUERN2 | Weekly overtime earnings (2 implied decimals) |
| TUERNH1C | What is your hourly rate of pay on this job, excluding overtime pay, tips, or commissions? (2 implied decimals) |
| TRERNHLY | Hourly earnings at main job (2 implied decimals) |
| TRERNUPD | Earnings update flag |
| TRERNWA | Weekly earnings at main job (2 implied decimals) |
| TRHERNAL | TRERNHLY: allocation flag |
| TRWERNAL | TRERNWA: allocation flag |
| TTHR | Hourly pay topcode flag |
| TTOT | Overtime amount topcode flag |
| TTWK | Weekly earnings topcode flag |
Eldercare
Variables describing care the respondent provided to another adult (the Eldercare Roster file).
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TEAGE_EC | Edited: age of eldercare recipient |
| TEELDUR | Edited: how long have you provided care to [NAME]? |
| TEELWHO | Edited: who did you give this care to? |
| TEELYRS | Edited: how many years have you provided care (to this person)? |
| TRELHH | Eldercare recipient is a household member |
| TRTEC | Total time spent providing eldercare (in minutes) |
| TRTEC_LN | Time spent providing eldercare by activity (in minutes) |
| TUEC24 | At which times or during which activities did you provide that care or assistance yesterday? |
| TUECYTD | Did you provide any eldercare or assistance yesterday? |
| TUELDER | Not including financial assistance or help you provided as part of your paid job, since the first of [REF_MONTH], have you provided any care of assistance for an adult who needed help because of a condition related to aging? |
| TUELFREQ | How often did you provide this care? |
| TUELNUM | Since the first of [REF_MONTH], how many people have you provided this care to? |
Childcare (Secondary Care)
“Secondary” childcare means the respondent was watching/minding a child while doing another primary activity.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TUCC2 | Time first household child < 13 woke up |
| TUCC4 | Time last household child < 13 went to bed |
| TUCC5 | Was at least one of your own household children < 13 in your care during this activity? |
| TUCC5_CK | Reason respondent did not report secondary childcare activities for own household children |
| TUCC5B | Was at least one of your non-own household children < 13 in your care during this activity? |
| TUCC5B_CK | Reason respondent did not report secondary childcare activities for non-own household children |
| TUCC7 | Was at least one of your own non-household children < 13 in your care during this activity? |
| TUCC8 | Other than household or own non-household children < 13, was there a child 0-12 in your care during this activity? |
| TUCC9 | Are the non-own, non-household children you cared for in TUCC8 related to you? |
| TRTCC | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for household and own nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTCC_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary child care for household and own nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTCCTOT | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for all children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTCCTOT_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for all children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTCOC | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for nonown, nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTCOC_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary child care for nonown, nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTHH | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTHH_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTNOHH | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for nonown household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTNOHH_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for nonown household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTO | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for own children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTO_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for own children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTOHH | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for own household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTOHH_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for own household children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTONHH | Total time spent during diary day providing secondary childcare for own nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
| TRTONHH_LN | Total time spent during activity providing secondary childcare for own nonhousehold children < 13 (in minutes) |
Time Spent With Others
Who the respondent was with during activities, and time-use summaries by companion type (these exclude sleeping and other activities where “who” information isn’t collected).
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TUWHO_CODE | Who was in the room with you / Who accompanied you? |
| TRWHONA | Who information not asked for activity |
| TRTALONE | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent alone (in minutes) |
| TRTALONE_WK | Total work- and nonwork-related time respondent spent alone (in minutes) |
| TRTCCC | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with customers, clients, and coworkers (in minutes) |
| TRTCCC_WK | Total work- and nonwork-related time respondent spent with customers, clients, and coworkers (in minutes) |
| TRTCHILD | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with household or nonhousehold children < 18 (in minutes) |
| TRTFAMILY | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with family members (in minutes) |
| TRTFRIEND | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with friends (in minutes) |
| TRTHHFAMILY | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with household family members (in minutes) |
| TRTNOCHILD | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with nonown children < 18 (in minutes) |
| TRTOHHCHILD | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with own household children < 18 (in minutes) |
| TRTONHHCHILD | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with own nonhousehold children < 18 (in minutes) |
| TRTSPONLY | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with spouse only (in minutes) |
| TRTSPOUSE | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with spouse (others may be present) (in minutes) |
| TRTUNMPART | Total nonwork-related time respondent spent with unmarried partner (others may be present) (in minutes) |
Activities & Time Diary
Variables describing individual diary activities: what, where, when, and how long.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TEWHERE | Edited: where were you during the activity? |
| TRCODE | Six digit activity code |
| TRTIER2 | First and second activity tiers |
| TUTIER1CODE | Lexicon Tier 1: 1st and 2nd digits of 6-digit activity code |
| TUTIER2CODE | Lexicon Tier 2: 3rd and 4th digits of 6-digit activity code |
| TUTIER3CODE | Lexicon Tier 3: 5th and 6th digits of 6-digit activity code |
| TUACTDUR | Duration of activity in minutes (last activity not truncated at 4:00 a.m.) |
| TUACTDUR24 | Duration of activity in minutes (last activity truncated at 4:00 a.m.) |
| TUCUMDUR | Cumulative duration of activity lengths in minutes; last activity not truncated at 4:00am or 1440 minutes (cumulative total of TUACTDUR for each TUCASEID) |
| TUCUMDUR24 | Cumulative duration of activity lengths in minutes; last activity truncated at 4:00am or 1440 minutes (cumulative total of TUACTDUR24 for each TUCASEID) |
| TUDURSTOP | Method for reporting activity duration |
| TUSTARTTIM | Activity start time |
| TUSTOPTIME | Activity stop time |
| TUDIARYDATE | Date of diary day (date about which the respondent was interviewed) |
| TUDIARYDAY | Day of the week of diary day (day of the week about which the respondent was interviewed) |
| TUMONTH | Month of diary day (month of day about which ATUS respondent was interviewed) |
| TUYEAR | Year of diary day (year of day about which respondent was interviewed) |
| TRHOLIDAY | Flag to indicate if diary day was a holiday |
Survey Weight
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TUFINLWGT | ATUS final weight |
Allocation & Topcode Flags
Every edited (E) variable has a companion allocation flag (X) recording whether and how its value was imputed. These are mostly useful for data-quality checks, not substantive analysis. See the original codebook’s “Allocation Flags” section for the full code list (0 = no change, 1x = value imputed, etc.).
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| TXABSRSN | TEABSRSN: allocation flag |
| TXAGE | TEAGE: allocation flag |
| TXAGE_EC | TEAGE_EC: allocation flag |
| TXELDUR | TEELDUR: allocation flag |
| TXELWHO | TEELWHO: allocation flag |
| TXELYRS | TEELYRS: allocation flag |
| TXERN | TEERN: allocation flag |
| TXERNH1O | TEERNH1O: allocation flag |
| TXERNH2 | TEERNH2: allocation flag |
| TXERNHRO | TEERNHRO: allocation flag |
| TXERNHRY | TEERNHRY: allocation flag |
| TXERNPER | TEERNPER: allocation flag |
| TXERNRT | TEERNRT: allocation flag |
| TXERNUOT | TEERNUOT: allocation flag |
| TXERNWKP | TEERNWKP: allocation flag |
| TXHRFTPT | TEHRFTPT: allocation flag |
| TXHRUSL1 | TEHRUSL1: allocation flag |
| TXHRUSL2 | TEHRUSL2: allocation flag |
| TXHRUSLT | TEHRUSLT: allocation flag |
| TXIO1COW | TEIO1COW: allocation flag |
| TXIO1ICD | TEIO1ICD: allocation flag |
| TXIO1OCD | TEIO1OCD: allocation flag |
| TXLAYAVL | TELAYAVL: allocation flag |
| TXLAYLK | TELAYLK: allocation flag |
| TXLFS | TELFS: allocation flag |
| TXLKAVL | TELKAVL: allocation flag |
| TXLKM1 | TELKM1: allocation flag |
| TXMJOT | TEMJOT: allocation flag |
| TXRET1 | TERET1: allocation flag |
| TXRRP | TERRP: allocation flag |
| TXSCHENR | TESCHENR: allocation flag |
| TXSCHFT | TESCHFT: allocation flag |
| TXSCHLVL | TESCHLVL: allocation flag |
| TXSEX | TESEX: allocation flag |
| TXSPEMPNOT | TESPEMPNOT: allocation flag |
| TXSPUHRS | TESPUHRS: allocation flag |
| TXTCC | TRTCC_LN and TRTCC: allocation flag |
| TXTCCTOT | TRTCCTOT_LN and TRTCCTOT: allocation flag |
| TXTCOC | TRTCOC_LN and TRTCOC: allocation flag |
| TXTHH | TRTHH_LN and TRTHH: allocation flag |
| TXTNOHH | TRTNOHH_LN and TRTNOHH: allocation flag |
| TXTO | TRTO_LN and TRTO: allocation flag |
| TXTOHH | TRTOHH_LN and TRTOHH: allocation flag |
| TXTONHH | TRTONHH_LN and TRTONHH: allocation flag |
| TXWHERE | TEWHERE: allocation flag |