Census 2020

The very first responsibility of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution is a count of all persons living in the United States to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states. But your participation in the census impacts a much broader range of decisions, from how legislative districts at all levels of government are drawn, to where roads and transit are built in the future, to how more than $800 billion in federal funding is distributed annually across the country. Based on the 2010 count, that translated into more than $2300 in funding for each citizen of Fulton County. 

In mid-March 2020 most addresses in the United States will receive a postcard with instructions to participate online, but you will also have the option to respond via phone or mail. Through spring and summer 2020, Census Bureau employees will follow up in-person at addresses that have not yet been counted.

Census Bureau employees are sworn to uphold the confidentiality of your data for life. Your responses can only be used to produce statistical information, and your personal information cannot be seen or used by other government agencies or the courts. Title 13 of the U.S. Code imposes steep penalties for anyone who shares personally identifiable information (PII).

Online responses are secured by multiple layers of encryption and isolated from online access as soon as you hit submit. And by working with the federal intelligence community and private industry, the Census Bureau can quickly identify and respond to any external threats to its databases.

The complete online census questionnaire will be available in twelve languages other than English. Telephone responses will be accepted in the same additional 12 languages. Paper forms will be printed in English and Spanish. Language guides and glossaries will be available in 59 non-English languages, plus Braille.

The online questionnaire can be completed on a smartphone and desktop internet kiosks may be available at local post offices, libraries and other community centers. Households identified as having limited internet access and households that do not respond to initial census mailings will also be given the opportunity to complete the census through the traditional paper questionnaire. A telephone response option will also be available for the first time.

The results of the census determine your congressional representation as well as federal funding for states and communities. Every year, approximately $1 trillion goes toward hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and more. It's also mandated by the Constitution: The United States has counted its population every 10 years since 1790.

Yes. All people living in the United States, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are required by law to be counted in the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau will never share your information with immigration enforcement agencies such as ICE, law enforcement agencies such as the FBI or police, or allow it to be used to determine your eligibility for government benefits.

Yes. The Census Bureau is required by law to protect your information. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify you or your household. By law, the Census Bureau can only use your responses to produce statistics. Your information is also protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data. All Web data submissions are encrypted in order to protect your privacy. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify you or your household. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data. 

• How many people are living or staying at your home on April 1, 2020.
• Whether the home is owned or rented.
• About the sex of each person in the household.
• About the age of each person in the household.
• About the race of each person in the household.
• About whether a person in the household is of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.
• About the relationship of each person in the household to one central person.

The 2020 Census will count everyone once, only once, and in the right place. If you are filling out the census for your household, you should count anyone who is living there as of April 1, 2020. This includes anyone who is living and sleeping there most of the time. It is important to remember to count any children who are living with you.

The 2020 Census asks just a few questions and takes about 10 minutes to answer. Respondents will be able to respond online for the first time using one of a number of devices, including a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone.

•  March 2020: The public can begin responding to the 2020 Census online at 2020census.gov. Replying by mail or phone will also be an option.
• April 2020: Every 10 years, we observe Census Day on April 1.
• June 2020 through July 2020: Census takers go door to door to count people who have not responded to the 2020 Census. Census takers are Census Bureau employees and will provide proof that they are official government personnel. 
• December 31, 2020: By this date, as required by law, the Census Bureau reports to the President of the United States the population count and the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives to each state.