USAothers

USAothers is a term you may encounter in data documentation, research papers, or platform data dictionaries. It refers to a way of classifying certain residents of the United States who do not fit a standard national or self-identification category within a given data schema. It is not an official demographic designation and does not have a universal definition; its meaning depends on the source and context.

In survey and census-like data, USAothers can function as a catch-all label for responses that do not map to predefined national categories. This might include respondents who report dual citizenship, non-citizen status (such as permanent residents or refugees), or a self-described nationality categorized as “Other.” On digital platforms, USAothers may be used as an internal tag to group users located in the United States whose self-identified nationality or background is not captured by the platform’s standard labels.

Purpose and limitations: The label serves to preserve respondent privacy and maintain analytical flexibility when category options are incomplete. However, it can hinder direct comparability across datasets or over time, and its interpretation can vary between studies. Researchers and data managers typically document the exact definition of USAothers in the data dictionary and note any caveats related to its use.

See also: United States census, Citizenship, Immigration, Residency, Demographic data, Data taxonomy.