HEALTHCARE COST & UTILIZATION PROJECT

User Support

Do Your own analysis
Explore Expert Research & Limited Datasets

NIS Description of Data Elements

 
ZIPINC_QRTL - Median household income for patient's ZIP Code (based on current year)
 
Documentation Sections:
General Notes
Uniform Values
State Specific Notes
General Notes
 

This categorical variable (ZIPINC_QRTL) provides a quartile classification of the estimated median household income of residents in the patient's ZIP Code. The quartiles are identified by values of 1 to 4, indicating the poorest to wealthiest populations. These values are derived from ZIP Code-demographic data obtained from Claritas. Because these estimates are updated annually, the value ranges for the ZIPINC_QRTL categories vary by year. The dollar ranges represented by each category are:

Quartile Ranges of ZIPINC_QRTL by Year
Year Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4
1997 1-28,999 29,000-35,999 36,000-46,999 47,000+
1998 1-28,999 29,000-36,999 37,000-49,999 50,000+
1999 1-30,999 31,000-39,999 40,000-51,999 52,000+
2000 1-31,999 32,000-41,999 42,000-54,999 55,000+
2001 1-33,999 34,000-43,999 44,000-58,999 59,000+
2002 1-35,999 36,000-45,999 46,000-61,999 62,000+
2003 1-35,999 36,000-44,999 45,000-59,999 60,000+
2004 1-35,999 36,000-44,999 45,000 - 58,999 59,000+
2005 1-36,999 37,000-45,999 46,000-60,999 61,000+
2006 1 - 37,999 38,000 - 46,999 47,000 - 61,999 62,000+
2007 1 - 38,999 39,000 - 47,999 48,000 - 62,999 63,000+
2008 1 - 38,999 39,000 - 48,999 49,000 - 63,999 64,000+
2009 1 - 39,999 40,000 - 49,999 50,000 - 65,999 66,000+
2010 1 - 40,999 41,000 - 50,999 51,000 - 66,999 67,000+
2011 1 - 38,999 39,000 - 47,999 48,000 - 63,999 64,000+
2012 1 - 38,999 39,000 - 47,999 48,000 - 62,999 63,000+
2013 1 - 37,999 38,000 - 47,999 48,000 - 63,999 64,000+
2014 1 - 39,999 40,000 - 50,999 51,000 - 65,999 66,000+
2015 1 - 41,999 42,000 - 51,999 52,000 - 67,999 68,000+
2016 1 - 42,999 43,000 - 53,999 54,000 - 70,999 71,000+
2017 1 - 43,999 44,000 - 55,999 56,000 - 73,999 74,000+
2018 1 - 45,999 46,000 - 58,999 59,000 - 78,999 79,000+
2019 1 - 47,999 48,000 - 60,999 61,000 - 81,999 82,000+
2020 1 - 49,999 50,000 - 64,999 65,000 - 85,999 86,000+
2021 1 - 51,999 52,000 - 65,999 66,000 - 87,999 88,000+
2022 1 - 55,999 56,000 - 70,999 71,000 - 93,999 94,000+

Availability of information on the NIS for the median household income of the patient's ZIP Code:

  • Starting in 2003, ZIPINC_QRTL is available.
  • For the years 1998-2002, another categorical variable (ZIPINC) indicates the median household income of the patient's ZIP Code of residence based on 1999 demographics. The categories are defined so that the maximum for category 1 ($25,000) is approximately 150% of the 1999 poverty level and the boundary between the second and third categories ($35,000) is approximately the national median household income.
  • Prior to 1998, information on the median household income for a patient's ZIP Code was retained in two data elements ZIPINC4 and ZIPINC8.

To protect patient confidentiality, precautions are taken to mask ZIP Codes. ZIPINC_QRTL values have been suppressed for all ZIP Codes with populations below a minimum threshold. Also, when only one ZIP Code in a state was represented in a particular ZIPINC_QRTL category, ZIPINC_QRTL was set to missing (.). ZIPINC_QRTL is also reported as missing when the patient's ZIP Code was not reported, or it could not be matched to the Claritas file. The source data reports the income value "9999" when data are not available for a ZIP code. These values are still interpreted as if they are incomes for HCUP.

 
Top
 
Uniform Values
VariableDescriptionValueValue Description
ZIPINC_QRTLMedian household income for patient's ZIP Code (based on current year)10-25th percentile
226th to 50th percentile (median)
351st to 75th percentile
476th to 100th percentile
.Other (includes ZIP equal blank A, C, M, F and B)
 
Top
 
 
State Specific Notes
None
 
Top
 
 

Internet Citation: HCUP NIS Description of Data Elements. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). September 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/db/vars/zipinc_qrtl/nisnote.jsp.
Are you having problems viewing or printing pages on this website?
If you have comments, suggestions, and/or questions, please contact hcup@ahrq.gov.
Privacy Notice, Viewers & Players
Last modified 9/17/08