The Household Pulse Survey (Phase 1) was a rapidly deployed experimental survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, HUD, and NCES. Running from April 23 to July 21, 2020 (12 weeks), this 20-minute online survey was designed to measure the immediate social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on American households. The dataset contains comprehensive data on employment status, consumer spending patterns, food security measures, housing stability (including rent/mortgage payments and eviction risks), educational disruptions for both K-12 and post-secondary students, and physical/mental health outcomes. Data was collected through weekly online surveys with participants randomly selected via email or text invitations from address-based sampling frames. This emergency response survey provided unprecedented real-time insights into how households were coping during the initial COVID-19 outbreak, serving as a critical tool for policymakers and researchers to understand pandemic-related hardships and guide relief efforts. Its rapid deployment and weekly release schedule were unique features that allowed for timely monitoring of emerging challenges faced by U.S. families during this unprecedented public health crisis.