Why The Census Bureau Conducts This Count…
The 2020 Census will provide a snapshot of our nation—who we are, where we live, and so much more.
Over the next decade, lawmakers, business owners, and many others will use 2020 Census data to make critical decisions. The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children.
The results will also inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.
The results of this once-a-decade count determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. They are also 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 Census Bureau’s Legal Duty To Protect Your Information…
The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to keep your information confidential.
This law protects your answers to the 2020 Census. Under Title 13, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you, your home, or your business, even to law enforcement agencies. The law ensures that your private data is protected and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court. Violating Title 13 is a federal crime, punishable by prison time and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
The answers you provide are used only to produce statistics. You are kept anonymous: The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or anyone else in your home.
Complete Your Census Today
The 2020 Census asks a few simple questions about you and everyone who was living with you on April 1, 2020.
Please complete your form online, by phone, or by mail when your invitation to respond arrives. Visit my2020census.gov to begin.
Need Assistance?
There are several ways that you can contact the U.S. Census Bureau for support.
English and Spanish Language Hours of Operation: Customer Service Representatives are available every day from 7am to 2am Eastern Time on the following phone lines:
- English: 844-330-2020
- Spanish: 844-468-2020