GSS 1972-2024 Cumulative Datafile

res16type of place lived in when 16 yrs old

Text of this Question or Item

Which of the categories on this card comes closest to the type of 
place you were living in when you were 16 years old?

Percent	N	Value	Label
10.8	8,002	1	in open country but not on a farm
13.6	10,038	2	farm
31.8	23,536	3	in a small city or town (under 50,000)
16.0	11,856	4	in a medium-size city (50,000-250,000)
12.0	8,892	5	in a suburb near a large city
15.8	11,721	6	in a large city (over 250,000)
	52	.d	don't know
	1,518	.i	iap
	72	.n	no answer
	12	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

reg16region of residence, age 16

Text of this Question or Item

In what state or foreign country were you living when you were 16 
years old? 
 As of 2024, REG16 has been recoded to only account for four 
categories. This has been retroactively applied to all previous years 
of REG16. The original REG16 containing data from 1972 to 2022 has 
been renamed REG16_7222.

Percent	N	Value	Label
6.8	5,116	0	foreign
19.5	14,744	1	northeast
27.2	20,550	2	midwest
31.8	24,039	3	south
14.8	11,209	4	west
	4	.d	don't know
	14	.i	iap
	23	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

mobile16geographic mobility since age 16

Text of this Question or Item

In what state or foreign country were you living when you were 16 
years old?
REFER TO REGION CODES BELOW AND ENTER CODE NUMBERS IN BOX. 
A. When you were 16 years old, were you living in this same 
(city/town/county)?

Percent	N	Value	Label
39.1	28,574	1	same state, same city
26.7	19,463	2	same state, different city
34.2	24,986	3	different state
	9	.d	don't know
	2,116	.i	iap
	538	.n	no answer
	13	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

family16living with parents when 16 yrs old

Text of this Question or Item

Were you living with both your own mother and father around the time 
you were 16? (IF NO: With whom were you living around that time?)  
(IF R. MARRIED OR LEFT HOME BY AGE 16, PROBE "BEFORE THAT.")

Percent	N	Value	Label
2.5	1,865	0	other
70.6	52,373	1	both own parents
1.9	1,416	2	father and stepparent
5.2	3,823	3	mother and stepparent
2.4	1,778	4	father only
13.3	9,831	5	mother only
0.3	250	6	some other male relative (no female head)
1.5	1,130	7	some other female relative (no male head)
2.3	1,671	8	other arrangement with relatives (e.g., aunt and uncle, grandparents)
	2	.d	don't know
	1,518	.i	iap
	39	.n	no answer
	3	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

family16sexsex of two parents living with when 16 yrs old

Text of this Question or Item

Were you living with your own two parents around the time you were 
16? With whom were you living around that time?

Percent	N	Value	Label
99.8	2,265	1	mother and father
0.2	5	2	two same-sex parents
	1,039	.i	iap
	72,390	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

famdif16reason not living with parents

Text of this Question or Item

Were you living with both your own mother and father around the time 
you were 16? (IF NO: With whom were you living around that time?)  
(IF R. MARRIED OR LEFT HOME BY AGE 16, PROBE "BEFORE THAT.")
A. IF NOT LIVING WITH BOTH OWN MOTHER AND FATHER:  What happened?

Percent	N	Value	Label
33.2	6,281	1	one or both parents died
50.3	9,508	2	parents divorced or separated
0.3	59	3	father absent in armed forces
0.8	154	4	one or both parents in institution
15.3	2,898	5	other
	139	.d	don't know
	56,253	.i	iap
	404	.n	no answer
	3	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

famdif16ywhich of the following best describes your situation?

Text of this Question or Item

Which of the following best describes your situation?

Percent	N	Value	Label
30.7	405	1	one or both parents died
55.9	739	2	parents divorced or separated
0.6	8	3	parent absent in armed forces
2.1	28	4	one or both parents in institution
10.7	141	5	other (specify)
	20	.d	don't know
	74,348	.i	iap
	8	.n	no answer
	2	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

maworkmothers employment since marriage

Text of this Question or Item

Did your mother ever work for pay for as long as a year, after she 
was married?

Percent	N	Value	Label
58.0	14,100	1	yes
42.0	10,212	2	no
	411	.d	don't know
	43,868	.i	iap
	255	.n	no answer
	6,853	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

mawkbabymothers employment before first grade

Text of this Question or Item

Did your mother ever work for pay for as long as a year, after she 
was married?
 A. Did she work for as long as a year before you started first 
grade?

Percent	N	Value	Label
43.3	2,628	1	yes
56.7	3,444	2	no
	271	.d	don't know
	62,342	.i	iap
	161	.n	no answer
	6,853	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

mawkbornmothers employment after r was born

Text of this Question or Item

Did your mother ever work for pay for as long as a year, after she 
was married?
 B. Did she work as long as a year after you were born and before you 
started first grade?

Percent	N	Value	Label
46.1	2,528	1	yes
53.9	2,955	2	no
	204	.d	don't know
	63,094	.i	iap
	65	.n	no answer
	6,853	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

mawk16mothers employment when r growing up

Text of this Question or Item

Did your mother ever work for pay for as long as a year, after she 
was married?
 C. Did she work for as long as a year around the time you were 16?

Percent	N	Value	Label
67.7	4,268	1	yes
32.3	2,032	2	no
	29	.d	don't know
	62,342	.i	iap
	175	.n	no answer
	6,853	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

mawrkgrwdid mother (or youngest same-sex parent) ever work for pay for as long as a year

Text of this Question or Item

Did your mother ever work for pay for as long as a year, while you 
were growing up?

Percent	N	Value	Label
69.3	29,227	1	yes
30.7	12,954	2	no
	565	.d	don't know
	32,742	.i	iap
	195	.n	no answer
	16	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

pawrkgrwdid father (or oldest same-sex parent) ever work for pay for as long as a year w

Text of this Question or Item

Did father (or oldest same-sex parent) ever work for pay for as long 
as a year while you were growing up?

Percent	N	Value	Label
96.0	2,497	1	yes
4.0	105	2	no
	102	.d	don't know
	597	.i	iap
	5	.n	no answer
	3	.s	skipped on web
	72,390	.y	not available in this year
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

incom16r's family income when 16 yrs old

Text of this Question or Item

Thinking about the time when you were 16 years old, compared with 
American families in general then, would you say your family income 
was--far below average, below average, average, above average, or far 
above average? (PROBE: Just your best guess.)

Percent	N	Value	Label
9.2	5,690	1	far below average
25.2	15,607	2	below average
48.1	29,781	3	average
15.5	9,595	4	above average
1.9	1,203	5	far above average
0.0	10	7	lived in institution
	784	.d	don't know
	12,776	.i	iap
	209	.n	no answer
	44	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

bornwas r born in this country

Text of this Question or Item

Were you born in this country?

Percent	N	Value	Label
90.3	59,893	1	yes
9.7	6,431	2	no
	39	.d	don't know
	9,160	.i	iap
	150	.n	no answer
	26	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

parbornwere r's parents born in this country

Text of this Question or Item

Were both your parents born in this country? (IF THE RESPONDENT IS 
UNCERTAIN OF PARENT, USE SAME PERSONS AS IN PAOCC16 to PAIND16, 
PAEDUC, MAEDUC, PADEG, AND MADEG.)

Percent	N	Value	Label
80.7	53,514	0	both born in the u.s.
3.1	2,079	1	mother yes, father no
2.3	1,543	2	mother no, father yes
0.3	206	3	mother yes, father don't know
0.1	50	4	mother no, father don't know
0.1	47	5	mother don't know, father yes
0.0	26	6	mother don't know, father no
0.2	115	7	mother don't know, father don't know
13.2	8,734	8	neither born in the u.s.
	9,108	.i	iap
	238	.n	no answer
	39	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

granbornhow many grandparents born outside u.s.

Text of this Question or Item

Were all of your four grandparents born in this country?
 A. How many were born outside the United States?

Percent	N	Value	Label
60.6	37,713	0	none
6.3	3,927	1	one
10.8	6,748	2	two
2.4	1,515	3	three
19.8	12,341	4	four
	699	.d	don't know
	12,418	.i	iap
	320	.n	no answer
	18	.s	skipped on web
100.0	75,699		Total

Properties
Data type:	numeric
Missing-data codes:	.d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z

GSS 1972-2024 Cumulative Datafile - Release 3

Respondent's Background and Childhood