WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS

The U.S. Census is more than just a headcount. It is the foundation of our democracy--a snapshot of America that determines the number of congressional and Electoral College seats each state gets, and how more than $675 billion in state and federal dollars are allocated to communities each year. The U.S. Constitution mandates the Census count every person in the United States every ten years. The goal of the Census is to count every person, regardless of all ages, races, geographic locations, and birth origin, who live in the United States, "once, only once, and in the right place."

The U.S. Census dates back to the birth of the Republic. Nonprofit organizations, researchers, and planners in public and private sectors use Census data to make the right decisions and inform public policy. Likewise, Census data is critical to businesses that rely on Census information to make locational and investment decisions. As necessary, Census data helps the federal government monitor and enforce civil rights laws and protections. To do all that correctly, the count needs to be accurate.