Description

For sample children and sample adults living in a rented house or apartment (OWNERSHIP), LOWRENT indicates whether the respondent or anyone in the respondent's family was paying lower rent because the federal, state, or local government was paying part of the cost.

The 2020 questionnaire further specifies that government housing assistance may come in the form of monetary assistance to help pay rent, a program called "Section 8," direct payments to landlords, vouchers, or other types of assistance from a local housing authority. Living in public housing is considered housing assistance from the government.

For related variables, please use the IPUMS NHIS search function or drop-down menus.

Comparability

While the basic meaning of this variable is completely comparable over time, major questionnaire changes introduced in 2019 may affect comparability with earlier years. The NHIS questionnaire was substantially redesigned in 2019 to introduce a different data collection structure and new content. For more information on changes in terminology, universes, and data collection methods beginning in 2019, please see the user note.

Universe

Availability

• 1998-2023

Weights

• 1998-2018 : PERWEIGHT
• 2019-2023 : SAMPWEIGHT