Every 10 years, the United States collects basic demographic information from every individual living in the country–regardless of age or immigration status. This information is completely confidential, and is used to determine federal funding for essential programs such as child care, WIC, and SNAP. Data collected from the census also influences how states are represented in Congress, and how many electoral votes are allocated.
Why you should #GetCounted
- It’ll only take 10 minutes to help shape the next 10 years of funding and representation in your community.
- Census data helps determine the location of community resources such as schools, hospitals, and libraries.
- Participation is required–the Census Bureau follows up with those who do not participate, and fines range from $100 – $5,000 if false information is reported or households refuse to complete the census.
- All data collected by the census is confidential and protected under Title 13 of the U.S code.
How to #GetCounted
- Households have been mailed unique identification numbers that will grant access to the questionnaire. Visit my2020census.gov to complete the census online.
- Complete the census by phone:
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English…………..844-330-2020Español………….844-468-2020Pyccĸий……………844-417-2020Polski……………844-479-2020Kreyòl Ayisien….844-477-2020Français…………844-494-2020
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- Complete the paper questionnaire and mail it to the return address.
The Census Bureau will never ask for donations or your social security number. Click here to learn how to avoid frauds and scams.
Additional Resources
- Our blog post on civic engagement and racial justice
- Census FAQs
- Forbes article about the census and COVID-19, hard-to-count populations, and more.