Survey of Consumer Finances, 1954

This data collection is one in a series of financial
surveys of consumers conducted annually since 1946. In a nationally
representative sample, the head of each spending unit (usually the
husband, the main earner, or the owner of the home) was interviewed.
The basic unit of reference in the study was the spending unit, but
some family data are also available. The questions in the 1954 survey
covered the respondent's attitudes toward national economic conditions
and price activity, as well as the respondent's own financial situation.
Other questions examined the spending unit head's occupation, and the
nature and amount of the spending unit's income, debts, liquid assets,
changes in liquid assets, savings, investment preferences, and actual
and expected purchases of cars and other major durables. In addition,
the survey explored in detail the subject of housing, e.g., previous
and present home ownership, value of respondent's dwelling, and
mortgage information. This was the first year that questions were
asked regarding plans to make additions and repairs to homes. The 1954
survey emphasized the respondent's contractual payments, e.g.,
mortgages, rent, property taxes, and installment debt. Respondents
were asked about the desirability of using an installment plan and the
wisest place to put savings. A separate subsection of the survey
contained questions for farmers. (The separate farmer's questionnaire,
used in the 1947-1953 surveys, was dropped.) Personal data include
number of people in the spending unit, age, sex, and education of the
head, and the race and sex of the respondent.