How to use the EPI extracts¶

1. Download the data¶

Version 1.0.59 of the EPI CPS extracts is available to download here.

2. Unzip and move the files¶

The zip file you downloaded is a collection of Stata data files, one file for each year (or monthly files when annual data is not available). You should decompress those files and move them into an appropriate directory on your computer.

3. Use the data with your favorite statistical package¶

Stata examples

Feel free to just use the datasets just as you would any Stata dataset:

use "/data/cps/epi_cpsorg_2019.dta", clear

where you have replaced /data/cps/ with the directory containing the decompressed files.

Alternatively, the Stata command load_epiextracts is an easy way to load a selection of years and variables of the EPI CPS extracts into memory. First, install the Stata package with

net install load_epiextracts, from("https://microdata.epi.org/stata")

and then use it like

* Load all of the 2016-2017 EPI CPS Basic monthly extracts
load_epiextracts, begin(2016m1) end(2017m12) sample(basic) sourcedir("/data/cps")

* Load certain variables from the 1990m7-2018m6 EPI CPS ORG
load_epiextracts, begin(1990m7) end(2018m6) keep(age lfstat union) sample(org) sourcedir("/data/cps")

After installing the command see help load_epiextracts for more details.

R examples

The haven package will load Stata datasets:

mydata <- haven::read_dta("/data/cps/epi_cpsorg_2019.dta")

4. Cite the data¶

If you use the EPI extracts for your research, please cite the data in your references:

Suggested citation for EPI microdata extracts

Economic Policy Institute. 2024. Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0.59, https://microdata.epi.org.