psid

PSID stands for Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a longitudinal panel survey of U.S. families and their descendants. Initiated in 1968 at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, it is one of the longest-running nationally representative panel studies in existence. The study aims to understand how income, wealth, health, education, and family structure evolve over time and across generations, and how public policy affects economic well-being.

The PSID collects detailed information on individual and family circumstances, including income, employment, wealth, housing, expenditures, education, health, demographics, and program participation. A distinctive feature is its genealogical file that links generations within families, enabling intergenerational analyses. The original sample consisted of about 5,000 families and has expanded through additions and oversamples to enhance representativeness.

Data are collected in multiple waves, with early years capturing annual information and later waves typically conducted every two years. The PSID provides public-use microdata and restricted-use files through the PSID Data Center and ICPSR, with extensive documentation such as codebooks, user guides, and methodological reports. Access requires registration and may involve data use agreements.

The PSID has informed a broad range of research on poverty dynamics, income and wealth inequality, mobility across generations, household formation, retirement, health, and the effects of public policy. It remains a primary resource for researchers studying long-term economic and social change, while limitations include attrition over time, potential measurement error, and the evolving composition of the sample.