Ascertained for all persons 14 years of age and over for the preceding calendar year, even if they had no income. Total income is the sum of the dollar amounts of money respondents reported receiving (best estimate if exact amount not known) as wages or salary income, net nonfarm and farm self-employment income, and other income, as specified below. In statistics on family income or household income, the combined incomes of all members of each family or household are treated as a single amount. For unrelated individual income and for income statistics of persons 14 years and over, the classification is by the amount of their own (individual) total income.
Income is tabulated by several intervals. For example, under $1,000, $1,000- $1,999... $9,000-$9,999, $10,000-$14,999, $15,000- $24,999, $25,000 and over. The 1960 census basic records included dollar amounts for each type of income in intervals of $10 from $1-$9 to $9,990-$9,999 and in intervals of $1,000 from $10,000-$10,999 to $24,000-$24,999. Two separate categories were provided for each of the following items: (1) no income and (2) incomes of $25,000 and over. (Net loss from self-employment and all other sources was included in intervals of $100 from $1 - $99 to $9,800-$9,899. Net losses of $9,900 and over were tabulated separately.)
In the 1970 census basic records, for dollar amounts of each type of income, questionnaire dollar entries within $100 intervals from $1-$99, $100-$199, to $99,900- !$99,999 are shown as one-tenth of the midpoint value for that interval. For example, any questionnaire entry between $100 and $199 is represented as 15 on the basic record; any questionnaire entry between $99,900 and $99,999 is represented as 9995 on the basic record. Similarly, dollar amounts within $10,000 intervals from $100,000-$109,999, $110,000-$119,999 to $980,000-$989,999 are shown as one-tenth of the midpoint value for that interval. For example, any questionnaire entry between $100,000 and $109,999 is represented as 10500 on the basic record; any questionnaire entry between $980,000 and $989,999 is represented as 98500 on the basic record. Separate categories are provided for no income and incomes of $990,000 or more. Net losses from self-employment income (section 104.12 below) and income from all other sources (section 104.23 below) are included in intervals of $100 from $1-$99 to $9,800-$9,899. Net losses of $9,900 or more are carried as one category.
Median and mean incomes are calculated for families, unrelated individuals, and persons 14 years and over for total income and for each type of income. (In the 1960 derivation of aggregate amounts for calculating mean income, persons in the open-ended interval $25,000 and over were assigned an estimated mean of $50,000 for each income type. In the 1970 derivation of aggregate amounts for each income type, persons in the open-ended interval $990,000 and over are assigned an estimated mean of $995,000.)
The sum of wage or salary income and net self-employment income.
Money respondents reported receiving as wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs (before deductions for taxes, bonds, dues, etc.). Respondents were to include sick leave pay, but exclude military bonuses, reimbursements for business expenses, and pay in kind.
Money respondents reported receiving as profits or fees (net income after business expenses) from their own business, professional practice, partnership, or farm. (If the enterprise lost money, respondents were to report the amount of loss. ) In 1970, self-employment income from a farm (including earnings as a tenant farmer or sharecropper, excluding payment in kind) was reported separately from other self-employment income.
Income other than earnings (other income)
Money respondents reported receiving from sources other than wages or salary and self-employment. In 1960, respondents were asked to report other income as a single amount. In 1970, respondents were asked to specify other income as follows.
Income from social security or railroad retirement
Includes U.S. Government payments to retired persons, to dependents of deceased insured workers, or to disabled workers; excludes Medicare reimbursements.
Income from public assistance or welfare
Includes amounts received from Federal, State, and local public programs such as aid for dependent children, old-age assistance, general assistance, and aid to the blind or totally disabled. Excludes separate payments for hospital or other medical care.
Income from all other sources
Includes interest; dividends; veterans payments of all kinds; retirement pensions from private employers, unions, and governmental agencies; and other regular payments such as net rental income, unemployment insurance benefits, workmens compensation, private welfare payments, alimony or child support, Armed Forces allotments and regular contributions from persons not members of the household. Excludes receipts from sale of personal property, capital gains, lump-sum insurance or inheritance payments, or payments in kind.
