The 2020 Census is underway! All households should be receiving official Census Bureau mail between March 12th and March 20th. This mailer will provide detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail. Responding to the Census should take about 10 minutes. All answers are anonymous.
The Census collects information on where you will be residing as of April 1, 2020. April 1st is therefore recognized as National Census Day. By this date, every home will have received their invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. When you respond to the census, you tell the U.S. Census Bureau where you are living as of April 1, 2020.
It is important to know that the U.S. Census will not call you or ask for any private information on the phone. They will not come to your home until after multiple attempt at reaching you by mail to complete your survey. They will begin making in-person visits in May to any address that has not yet responded to the Census. Census workers will have an identification card with a U.S. Department of Commerce seal. The Census does not ask for your social security number or bank account information.
The U.S Census is important for many reasons. Census data is used to determine political representation, including the number of seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. Census date is also used draw congressional and state legislative districts. The Census count also determines how federal funding is directed to U.S. states for programs related to healthcare (including Medicaid), food security (including SNAP), education, transportation, housing, community development, and support for families. For every citizen not counted, the state will lose $2,000 a year for the next 10 years.
Completing the Census is required by law. There are special arrangements to count individuals living in skilled nursing facilities, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and other group living environments.
The following are links to additional information about the 2020 Census: