Social Science Skills

IPUMS Microdata API

Overview

IPUMS (Integrated Public Use Microdata Series) provides the world's largest collection of harmonized census and survey microdata. Hosted by the University of Minnesota, it covers demographic, health, labor, and geographic data across 100+ countries and 100+ years. The API enables programmatic extract creation, metadata queries, and data retrieval. Free registration required.

IPUMS Data Collections

API Endpoints

Base URL

https://api.ipums.org/extracts/

Authentication

# Register at https://www.ipums.org/
# API key from your account settings
export IPUMS_KEY="..."

Create an Extract

# Request a data extract (IPUMS USA example)
curl -X POST "https://api.ipums.org/extracts/?collection=usa&version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "description": "Income by education, 2020 ACS",
    "data_structure": {"rectangular": {"on": "P"}},
    "data_format": "csv",
    "samples": {"us2020a": {}},
    "variables": {
      "AGE": {},
      "SEX": {},
      "RACE": {},
      "EDUC": {},
      "INCTOT": {},
      "EMPSTAT": {}
    }
  }'

Check Extract Status

curl "https://api.ipums.org/extracts/42?collection=usa&version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY"

Download Extract

# When status is "completed"
curl -O "https://api.ipums.org/extracts/42/download?collection=usa&version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY"

Query Metadata

# List available variables
curl "https://api.ipums.org/metadata/usa/variables?version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY"

# Get variable details
curl "https://api.ipums.org/metadata/usa/variables/EDUC?version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY"

# List available samples
curl "https://api.ipums.org/metadata/usa/samples?version=2" \
  -H "Authorization: $IPUMS_KEY"

Python Usage

import os
import time
import requests

BASE_URL = "https://api.ipums.org"
HEADERS = {"Authorization": os.environ.get("IPUMS_KEY", "")}


def create_extract(collection: str, samples: dict,
                   variables: list, description: str = "",
                   data_format: str = "csv") -> int:
    """Create an IPUMS data extract request."""
    var_dict = {v: {} for v in variables}
    body = {
        "description": description,
        "data_format": data_format,
        "data_structure": {"rectangular": {"on": "P"}},
        "samples": {s: {} for s in samples} if isinstance(samples, list)
                   else samples,
        "variables": var_dict,
    }

    resp = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/extracts/?collection={collection}&version=2",
        headers={**HEADERS, "Content-Type": "application/json"},
        json=body,
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()["number"]


def wait_for_extract(extract_id: int, collection: str,
                     poll_interval: int = 30) -> str:
    """Poll until extract is ready, return download URL."""
    while True:
        resp = requests.get(
            f"{BASE_URL}/extracts/{extract_id}"
            f"?collection={collection}&version=2",
            headers=HEADERS,
        )
        resp.raise_for_status()
        data = resp.json()
        status = data.get("status")

        if status == "completed":
            return data["download_links"]["data"]["url"]
        elif status == "failed":
            raise RuntimeError(f"Extract failed: {data}")
        print(f"Status: {status}, waiting {poll_interval}s...")
        time.sleep(poll_interval)


def get_variable_info(collection: str, variable: str) -> dict:
    """Get metadata about a variable."""
    resp = requests.get(
        f"{BASE_URL}/metadata/{collection}/variables/{variable}"
        f"?version=2",
        headers=HEADERS,
    )
    resp.raise_for_status()
    return resp.json()


# Example: request 2020 ACS income data
extract_id = create_extract(
    collection="usa",
    samples=["us2020a"],
    variables=["AGE", "SEX", "RACE", "EDUC", "INCTOT", "EMPSTAT"],
    description="Education-income analysis 2020",
)
print(f"Extract #{extract_id} submitted. Waiting...")

download_url = wait_for_extract(extract_id, "usa")
print(f"Ready: {download_url}")

Key Variables (IPUMS USA)

Use Cases

1. Demographic research: Population trends, migration, aging 2. Labor economics: Wage gaps, employment patterns, occupation shifts 3. Health disparities: Insurance coverage, disability, access to care 4. Education research: Educational attainment trends, returns to education 5. Historical analysis: Long-run comparisons using harmonized variables

References

• IPUMS
• IPUMS API Documentation
• IPUMS USA
• Ruggles, S. et al. (2024). "IPUMS USA: Version 15.0." Minneapolis: IPUMS.