Census 2020

06/30/20  Census 2020 Information – It’s Happening Now!

What Is the Census?

The census counts every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories every ten years. The count is mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a non-partisan government agency. The Town of Palmer Lake encourages all residents to complete the census in order to capture an accurate count of our community!

How to take the 2020 Census

In March 2020, every address in the country received an invitation to complete the Census in the mail. The Census can be completed three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. A Census taker from the community will follow up and assist those who do not respond. For more information, please visit the following site - https://2020census.gov/?cid=20003:census%202020:sem.ga:p:dm:en:&utm_sour...

Make sure you are counted in 2020 because:

It’s about representation
Political district boundaries are based on the census. Everyone living in the US (not just citizens) must be counted to ensure equal representation at all levels of government. Boundaries are drawn for aldermanic districts, county board districts, state assembly and state senate districts, and U.S. House of Representative districts based on the census population count, not the number of people who are eligible to vote. Any areas with an under-count will be under-represented for the next 10 years.

It’s about funding
The census count affects state and federal funding for our community over the next decade. $675 billion in annual federal funding is tied to the census and is responsible for supporting state, county and community programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy. Every person who is not counted may result in a loss of over $2,000 in funding per year.

It’s about our community
The Town and many other governmental entities, businesses, and nonprofits use census data for planning, decision-making and investment. Data that accurately represents the community can lead to better outcomes for neighborhoods and communities.

It’s easy
The census form includes nine questions about each person’s age, gender, race, and relationship to householder. It should take less than 10 minutes to fill out for most households. You will be able to fill out the census form online, over the phone, by paper, or in person.

It’s safe
All data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau is confidential and may only be used for statistical purposes. This means that it is prohibited by law from sharing personal information with any governmental agencies or private entities. Your census information is prohibited from being shared with law enforcement, courts, landlords, credit agencies, or anyone else outside the Census Bureau.

What will I be asked?

The U.S. Census Bureau submitted a list of questions to Congress on March 29, 2018. Questions asked on the Census are based on that list. The Census will never ask for certain things such as your Social Security number, money or donations, anything on behalf of a political party, bank or credit card accounts. There is also no citizenship questions on the 2020 Census.