Household surveys are a valuable tool for policymakers deciding among policy options. This article illustrates the kinds of issues typically addressed in these surveys and shows how detailed analyses of the data can feed into the decisionmaking process. It outlines the general virtues and limitations of household survey data and provides a brief sample of the kind of data analysis that is relevant to policymaking. It also discusses the benefitcost ratios that are likely to apply to survey-based policy analysis.