The current year is 2020—why is this important? That is because every 10 years in the United States, each person is required to take the census to get counted.
What is the census?
The census is a form that can be completed online, by phone, or by mail, which asks a few questions such as who is living with you, who is dependent on you, where are you currently living, race, gender, etc. All the information given is private and is only used for Census purposes.
Why is it important to complete the census?
The census provides crucial data to all aspects of the community that is used to provide resources that allow people and communities to thrive. As stated by the US. Census Bureau, “Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The 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.” For more information, visit the 2020 US Census website.
How Can I Take The Census?
As we mentioned in the paragraph above, the census can be taken online, by mail, or by phone and only takes a few minutes to complete. The form only needs to be taken once per household, meaning one person living in a home has to complete the census but needs to account for everyone living in the home. If you want to take the census now, visit https://2020census.gov/
Responding online
To respond online you can complete the form in numerous languages such as English, Spanish, and French. The quickest way to respond is to make sure you have the unique census id that you received in the mail. You can still respond without having the unique id.
Responding by phone
To respond by phone, you need to call the number corresponding to the language that best supports your needs. After completing your response over the phone, you may receive a call sometime after completing your census, making sure everyone is properly counted.
Responding by mail
To respond to the census by mail, you can mail back the paper questionnaire sent to your home. To verify your questionnaire, there are a few methods for doing so, such as, looking at the outer envelope making sure it mentons “U.S. Census Bureau” and “U.S. Department of Commerce,” which is the Census Bureau’s parent agency. The return address will look something like “U.S. Census Bureau National Processing Center 100 Logistics Avenue Jeffersonville, IN 47144”. Lastly, the enclosed envelope will read addressed to either Jefferson, IN, or Phoenix, AR.
What The Census Will Never Ask For
- Full social security number
- Bank or credit card info
- Money or donations
- Any political information
- Citizenship status
Be sure to never give away sensitive information. If someone contacts you claiming to be with the Census and asks for this information, it may be a scam.
For more information about the Census or if you still need to complete the Census please visit https://2020census.gov/.
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