The U.S. Census Bureau, in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, is in a unique position to produce data on critical social and economic matters affecting American households. Originally launched in April 2020, the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) was designed to deploy quickly and efficiently to collect data to measure how emergent issues are impacting U.S. households from a social and economic perspective. Between April of 2020 to September 2024, continuously measured these data through cross-sectional data collection, and data were disseminated in near real-time to inform federal and state action.

In early October 2024, HPS content began transitioning into a longitudinal design, with data collected every other month and released at a national level. In January 2025, the HPS officially relaunched as an integral part of the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey (HTOPS). In the longitudinal design of HTOPS, the survey content alternates every other month between HPS-focused content, which address timely issues affecting U.S. households, and content submitted by internal Census partners and stakeholders, allowing for flexible, targeted exploration of emergent topics. The longitudinal design of HTOPS also helps ensure these vital data are produced in an efficient, less burdensome manner that enhances their richness for timely data. Additionally, the longitudinal design benefits HPS data by allowing direct measurement of change over a much longer period of time in critical elements like spending, inflation, and other social and economic indicators of well-being. More information on the transition to HTOPS is available at Evolving the Household Pulse Survey.