Income volatility

Published

November 27, 2025

Only data from the last 6 months is used (May 2025 to October 2025) for this analysis

Explanation of the coefficient of variation: The coefficient of variation is the ration of the standard deviation and the mean. The higher the CV, the greater the unevenness, instability, and volatility within income. The poorest group has a high CV, meaning their income level is very volatile

Variables used on this page

Variables Used in Income Volatility Analysis Income Variables

  • pc_inc_real_spadef: Real per capita income (inflation-adjusted) - primary measurement variable
  • sd_income: Standard deviation of household income over 6-month period
  • mean_income: Mean household income over 6-month period
  • cv_income: Coefficient of variation of income ((sd/mean)*100) - key volatility metric

Grouping Variables

  • hhid: Household identifier (for household-level calculations)
  • quint: Income quintile (1=Poorest to 5=Richest)
  • indw: Individual weight variable (used for weighted averages)

Time Variables

  • date: Date variable