Every 10 years, the United States conducts a “census”, or a count, of the entire population.
The census counts everyone who lives in the United States, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. If you live here, you get counted.
The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.
he results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
It's also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.
The count is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. The 2020 Census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
You can complete the census online, by telephone, or by mail. This is the first year the census will be available online. You can fill out your survey using any Internet-enabled device (cellphone, computer, tablet, etc.).
It is important to participate in the 2020 Census because this is a way to make your voice matter! By filling out the Census survey you are letting the U.S. government know how many people are living in your city. The government uses this figure to determine how much federal money to give each state and how many representatives can go to Congress. By making yourself count, you are helping improve your community by ensuring your city and state have the appropriate number of representatives and money to provide resources and services for you and your neighbors. It is free, confidential and safe.