2020 Census
April 1st, Census Day, kicked off the 2020 Census. If you haven’t already, it’s time to do your part to ensure a complete count by responding to the census. Households have the option of filling in their census forms online at my2020census.gov, over the phone, or through the mail. It’s important that everyone gets counted in the 2020 Census – census data affects political representation, the allocation of federal funds to communities, and decisions about schools, hospitals, and other forms of infrastructure. In general, the census provides information that helps us learn more about the people who make up our communities. As we navigate the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, census responses become even more important, as it helps decision-makers figure out how to best aid the economic recovery of our community. Remember, your census response is secure – information provided to the Census Bureau will not be shared or used for any purpose other than gathering population and demographic data.
Who to Count:
- Fill out your response according to where you and those who live in your household as of April 1st, 2020.
- Household responses should include everyone who regularly lives and sleeps at their address.
- Individuals should respond according to where they reside most of their time – for example, college students not living at home should respond to the census with their own address.
Later this spring, in-person census takers will be visiting households that have not yet responded. Responding online is the easiest response method, and allows residents and survey-takers to adhere to social distancing guidelines by minimizing in-person contact. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census Bureau has extended the response deadline to August 14th, 2020 and has suspended in-person surveying until at least mid-April. Updates can be found on the Census Bureau’s website.