It also determines the amount of state and federal funding
communities receive over the course of the decade. 2010 Census
data will directly affect how more than $3 trillion is allocated
to local, state and tribal governments over the next 10 years. In order for this funding allocation to be accomplished
fairly and accurately, the goal of the decennial census is to
count everybody, count them only once, and count them in the
right place. The facts gathered in the census also help shape
decisions for the rest of the decade about public health,
neighborhood improvements, transportation, education, senior
services and much more.
Reaching an Increasingly Diverse Population
The goal of the 2010 Census is to count all residents living in the United States on April 1, 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau does not ask about the legal status of respondents in any of its surveys and census programs. To help ensure the nation’s increasingly diverse population can answer the questionnaire accurately and completely, about 13 million bilingual Spanish/English forms will be mailed to housing units in neighborhoods identified as requiring high levels of Spanish assistance. Additionally, questionnaires in Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Vietnamese and Russian ⎯ as well as language guides in 59 languages ⎯ will be available on request.
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Recruiting Census Workers
By 2010, there will be an estimated 310 million people residing in the United States. Counting each person is one of the largest operations the federal government undertakes. For example, the Census Bureau will recruit nearly 3.8 million applicants for 2010 Census field operations. Of these applicants, the Census Bureau will hire about 1.4 million temporary employees. Some of these employees will be using GPS-equipped hand-held computers to update maps and ensure there is an accurate address list for the mailing of the census questionnaires.
10 Questions, 10 Minutes to CompleteWith one of the shortest questionnaires in history, the 2010 Census asks for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether you own or rent your home. It takes only about 10 minutes for the average household to complete. Questions about how we live as a nation ⎯ our diversity, education, housing, jobs and more ⎯ are now covered in the American
Community Survey, which is conducted every year throughout the decade and replaces the
Census 2000 long-form questionnaire.
Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law. All responses are used for
statistical purposes only, and all are strictly confidential.
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