Survey of Household Spending: Public Use Microdata File

Updated on: July 22, 2022

The Public-Use Microdata File (PUMF) for the Survey of Household Spending (SHS) provides information on household expenditures as well as selected information on dwelling characteristics and household equipment. The production of this file includes many safeguards to prevent the identification of any one person or household.

PUMFs were produced on an annual basis for SHS 1997 to 2009, before a redesigned survey was introduced with the 2010 reference year. The SHS 2017 PUMF is the first SHS PUMF based on data collected after the 2010 survey redesign.

Due to changes to data collection, processing and estimation methods introduced with the 2010 redesign, users are advised not to compare data from SHS 1997 to 2009 with data from any subsequent years, unless otherwise noted.

For more information about this survey (questionnaires, definitions, data sources and methods used): Survey of Household Spending

Download reference period 2019

Download reference period 2017

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About PUMFs

Downloading a Public Use Microdata File (PUMF) allows you to conduct your own analysis. The microdata file is in CSV or TXT format.

The zip file contains the data file and the associated documentation such as user guides, codebooks, layout cards or syntax files.

PUMFs consist of sets of records containing information on individuals or households (microdata). They are non-aggregated data that are carefully modified, then reviewed to ensure that no individual or business is directly or indirectly identified.

PUMFs are microdata files that require specialized statistical software in order to read, manipulate, and analyze the dataset. The software is used to combine the microdata and metadata to create a file for analysis.

Statistics Canada Open Licence governs the use of PUMFs.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca).

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