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guam Household Income Expenditure Survey (HIES)
Households across the island may be selected to participate in the Household Income & Expenditures Survey (HIES) taking place through June 2023. Being conducted by the University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach service for the Guam Bureau of Statistics & Plans, the survey is federally funded and collects household income and spending data to show changes in the cost of living over time.
The HIES is one of the most reliable economic tools and is critical for updating the Consumer Price Index, measuring inflation, and determining the Gross Domestic Product for Guam. These key economic indicators are referenced by policymakers and decisionmakers in both the public and private sectors. The HEIS is typically conducted every five years, with this year’s survey being the first HEIS survey that will rebase Guam’s CPIs since 2008.
HIES Survey Team
Michelle Leyaroftul
Cory Manley
Alyssa Ignacio
Vincent Mwailiuyalo
Aileen Lubumow
Toyolynn Hilton
Yvonne Matanane
Bernadette Pillias
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HIES?
The Household Income & Expenditures Survey is a federally funded survey of Guam households conducted every five years to determine changes and challenges in the cost of living. It is one of the most reliable economic tools and is critical for updating the Consumer Price Index, measuring inflation, and determining Guam’s Gross Domestic Product.
Why should I participate in the survey?
Your participation is important as a representation of the cost of living in the broader community. The data compiled will be used by policy- and decision- makers for possible adjustments in:
– Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA)
– Income eligibility levels for assistance programs, including food stamps
– Wages and benefits offered by employers – Availability of needed social programs
– Government funding to support education, affordable housing and health services, transportation, and more
Do I have to participate?
If you are contacted as one of the 1,000 randomly pre-selected households, your participation is voluntary although very highly encouraged to ensure that the cost of living in Guam is accurately represented throughout Guam’s population.
Do I have to participate?
If you are contacted as one of the 1,000 randomly pre-selected households, your participation is voluntary although very highly encouraged to ensure that the cost of living in Guam is accurately represented throughout Guam’s population.
What does participation involve?
– An interview of approximately one hour
– Recording your household expenditures for one week
– Recording your home food consumption and food
Will information I provide be confidential?
Guam law requires confidentiality. Survey results are compiled and do not identify individuals or households.
How do I identify a HIES survey worker?
All survey workers will be wearing yellow safety vests with a UOG logo and carrying an official HIES picture ID. They will also have HIES signage visible on their vehicles
How will I know if my household is selected?
If your household has been randomly pre-selected, an enumerator will call you or visit your house. Residents are encouraged to call (671) 735-2056 to see if your household has been randomly pre- selected and to arrange a survey time.
CURRENT DEFINITION OF GUAM'S CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
The CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time of goods and services purchased by households. The Guam CPI is based on the concept of a representative “market basket”, a sample of all goods and services that consumers purchase, as determined by the 2005 Household Income and Expenditure Survey funded by the US Department of the Interior to the US Census Bureau. The CPI is currently measured from a total of 165 items from 8 major groups, and indices are computed at two levels of aggregation. More than 1,071 price quotations are collected during the mid-month of each quarter either by phone or on-site survey by qualified price enumerators. There are approximately 230 business outlets included in the construction of the CPI, ranging from grocery, department and hardware stores to a variety of other service establishments. This report provides average price changes for all items, groups, subgroups and special indexes from successive quarters to one year earlier. An annual average and annualized inflation rate are also reported.
GROUPS AND WEIGHTS 2005 HEIS
The 2023 HES will collect up-to-date information on the expenditure patterns of households. The information will be used for updating the expenditure weights of the CPIs. Since the CPI is widely used by both the government and private sector as an important indicator of inflation or deflation faced by consumers, it is crucial that the HEIS is conducted to reflect the current expenditure patterns and that the weights are commensurate with the overall percentage of expenditures for Guam residents. Based on the survey results, the 2024-based Composite CPI, will be compiled. Since Guam’s CPI is based on a basket of goods from 2005, common goods and services like streaming video services, smart phones, and mobile data plans are not part of Guam’s basket of goods used in it’s current CPI reports.
For more information about the survey:
HIES Team UOG Cooperative Extension & Outreach – Community Development
TEL: (671) 735-2062
EMAIL: uoghies@triton.uog.edu