2010 Census
It's Time To Be Counted!

The 2010 Census is here!

The goal of the decennial census is to count everyone, count them only once and count them in the right place.

• Please take 10 minutes (or less) to answer the 10 questions on the Census form and return it in the postage-paid envelope.
  
• If 100% of households mail back their forms, taxpayers will save $1.5 BILLION dollars!
  
• Check out current national, state, and local response rates on the Census Bureau's interactive 2010 Census Participation Rate map.

What if I didn't receive a questionnaire?

Beginning April 12, 2010, you should call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at one of the numbers listed below to obtain a questionnaire. The phone lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week through July 30, 2010.

• English 1-866-872-6868
• Spanish 1-866-928-2010
• Chinese 1-866-935-2010
• Korean 1-866-955-2010
• Vietnamese 1-866-945-2010
• Russian 1-866-965-2010 

For the hearing-impaired, dial TDD 1-866-783-2010 (during the times noted above).

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The Census and What it Means to You

The U.S. Constitution requires a national census every 10 years and the census is much more than a population count.  The 2010 Census will help the federal government allocate over $400 billion to communities over the next 10 years for a variety of programs.  In order for the funding to be distributed equitably, a fair and accurate count of the population is necessary.

Receiving, Completing, and Returning the Census Form

Beginning in March 2010, households will receive a census form either by U.S. Mail or, in certain areas, by hand delivery.  Households may also receive a postcard and/or a letter prior to receiving the official form.  Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law.  Households that do not return the form will be visited by census workers between late April and July.

The 2010 Census will be based on one of the shortest questionnaires in the history of the United States, dating back to the nation’s first census in 1790.  The 2010 Census will ask for the number of occupants in each household, their name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship and whether the householder owns or rents his or her home.  The census form will take only about 10 minutes on average to complete, and answers are strictly confidential and protected by law.  The more detailed long census form has been replaced by the American Community Survey, an ongoing survey effort that is mailed separately to sample households throughout the nation at a later date.

Census Impacts

Because so many important policy, social, and economic decisions made by the government affecting daily living are based on population figures, it is critical to achieve an accurate count.  At the federal level, the population figure obtained by the census is used to determine the number of congressional seats allotted to each state (apportionment) and to allocate funding for community programs and services such as education, housing and community development, health care for the elderly, job training and more.

At the state and local levels, the 2010 figures will be compared to figures from the 2000 Census to determine whether voting district boundaries need to be redrawn to reflect shifts in population (redistricting).  In addition, funding for highway safety, public transportation systems, roads and bridges as well as school construction, and community facilities are determined based on the results of the census.

Census Highlights

The 2010 Census:

• Is a count of everyone in the United States that occurs every 10 years.
• Is required by law in the U.S. Constitution.
• Will be mailed to every household in the U.S. in March 2010.
• Must be filled out on/after April 1 and returned to the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Consists of 10 questions that will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
• Is completely anonymous.
• Affects federal, state, and local funding allocations for many programs—from education and housing to transportation and schools.
• Will be used to determine the number of congressional seats allotted to each state (apportionment) and to determine whether voting district boundaries need to be redrawn at the state and local levels (redistricting).