Make The Census Count For You

It’s almost time to stand up (or sit down) and be counted. 2010 census forms will be mailed or delivered to every residence in the U.S. and Puerto Rico this March. Here’s what you should know about it:

It’s the law. The Constitution requires that the government count every resident of the U.S. every 10 years. Responses are mandatory, but are confidential and used for statistical purposes only.

It’s short. It should take only 10 minutes to answer the 10 questions. But you won’t be able to do it online.

It’s providing temporary jobs. The government is hiring hundreds of thousands of census workers to complete the task. Call your local census office for employment information.

It’s important. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states and to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year.

It benefits your community. When you fill out the form, you’re helping your community determine what resources it needs. The data is used to make funding decisions on things such as schools, hospitals, job training centers and emergency services in your area.