2020 Census

The 2020 Census counts every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The count is mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. Each home will receive an invitation between March 12-20 to respond to a short questionnaire. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail.

Why is the Census being done?

The U.S. Constitution mandates a count of the entire population to take place every decade. The process is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, which is part of the federal Department of Commerce. The data gathered from the decennial count is used to determine the number of representative each state will have in Congress. It’s also used to redistrict political maps, and the amount each state gets from various federal funding programs is tied to its census-determined populations.

When does the Census begin?

April 1 marks Census Day, but the work to count the population will start much sooner.

The U.S. Census Bureau will begin counting as soon as January 21 in the remote parts of Alaska, and households across the country will start receiving mail by March 12 from the U.S. Census Bureau, giving them instruction on how to respond to the questionnaire.

In Illinois, the mailing will come days before the state’s Primary Elections on March 17. Make sure the materials do not get lost in your mailbox.

From March 16 to March 24, the U.S. Census Bureau will send a reminder about the Census. Another mailing will go out between March 26 to April 3 for households that still have not completed the questionnaire. On April 8 to April 16, the Bureau will send out paper forms to households that have not participated on their own.

What questions will be on the questionnaire?

Each household, including people living together in apartments or mobile homes, will have to fill out a questionnaire that will include less than a dozen questions.

The questionnaire, which can be completed online, by phone or paper form by mail, will ask how many people are living in the household, what type of property it is and each resident’s name, gender, age on April 1, race and if the person is of Latino origin.

If more than one person lives in the household, the Bureau asks for a description of how each resident is related to the person filling out the form. For examples, there are options for roommates, same-sex partners, and siblings.

The Bureau will not ask for a person’s social security number, bank account number, credit card number, immigration status, or for donations.

Will the 2020 Census include a question about citizenship?

The Census questionnaire will not include an inquiry about a person’s immigration or citizenship status. You are encouraged to participate in the Census, regardless of immigration or citizenship status.

Will a census taker come to my house?

If a household’s residents haven’t responded to the questionnaire on their own by April, Census Workers will start knocking on doors by May. Before then, Census Workers will visit group living quarters such as college campuses and senior centers.

Census Workers visiting homes should have with them a valid identification badge with their photo and a watermark indicating it was issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Anyone who is still unsure if the person is really a Census Worker can called 1-800-923-8282 to confirm.

Who will have access to the information from my questionnaire?

The first Census took place in 1790 and the results were posted in public, but that practice changed through the centuries. The U.S. Census Bureau is now bound by a Code called Title 13, which outlines protections for the information collected. Personal information is never published and cannot be used against respondents by any government agency or court.

What is at stake for Illinois?

It is estimated that $34 billion in federal programs is tied to the Census and is distributed to local communities for transportation, healthcare, and ensures fair representation at all levels of government include congressional districts, commissioner districts and wards.