American Time Use Survey
Welcome to the step-by-step guide on how to use the American Time Use Survey one-screen query system
The American Time Use Survey (ATUS) is the Nation's first federally administered, continuous survey on time use in the United States. The goal of the survey is to measure how people divide their time among life's activities. In ATUS, individuals are randomly selected from a subset of households that have completed their eighth and final month of interviews for the Current Population Survey (CPS). ATUS respondents are interviewed only one time about how they spent their time on the previous day, where they were, and whom they were with. The survey is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
This tool lets users query the BLS databases for specific data series. For each survey and program, make a selection for each characteristic in the order listed. As you make your selection, the remaining characteristics will filter to show only choices where data are available. After choosing the series, click on "Add to selection." If you need more data series, repeat the steps of choosing the data series you need. After you've finished finding the data series you need, click on the "Get Data" button to retrieve the data, and an HTML table with data for the most recent 10 years will display . If you desire a different time period or format, you may modify the options on the data display page, or click on the "More Formatting Options" button for additional options on refining the data retrieval results. Note: Users may not retrieve more than 200 data series in one query.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select Both sexes, Men, or Women. The options for the remaining characteristics will change to show you which data series are available. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select an age. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select All persons, Employed, or Not Employed, etc. The options to select data by labor force status are only available for people ages 15 and over. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select All persons, No own household children under 18, Own household child under 18, etc. The options to select data for parents are only available for people ages 15 and over. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Type all or part of a search string in the search text box. The contents of the box will filter to show only those options that contain the search string.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select an Activity. Select Personal care activities, Eating and drinking, Household activities, etc. To select multiple activities, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Note: Activities in the database are identified by a six-digit ACTCODE. Sometimes the ACTCODE is the same as the six-digit lexicon activity codes in the data files, but sometimes activities in the database are composites of several lexicon activity categories (for example, some activities in the database include travel associated with that activity). For more information on how the activities in the database are linked with the lexicon activity codes, please see Appendix H in the ATUS User's Guide.
Click on one of the options shown to select All days, Weekend days and holidays, or Nonholiday weekdays. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
Click on one or more of the options shown to select Average hours per day, Average hours per day for participants in an activity, or Percent of population engaged in activity on an average day. To select multiple options, hold the Ctrl/Command button, and click the desired options.
You must make a selection for each of the characteristics in the order listed. Once you have selected all of the characteristics, the "Add To Selection" button becomes active. Click the "Add To Selection" button to list the selected data series in the "Your Selections" box. You can return to the characteristics boxes and make new selections to request additional data series. Click the "Get Data" button to retrieve all the selected data series.
You must make a selection for each of the characteristics in the order listed. Once you have selected all of the characteristics, the "Get Data" button becomes active. Click to retrieve the data.
Last Modified Date: February 20, 2018
United States Department of Labor
