• The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States.
• All U.S. residents must be counted - people of all races and ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens.
• Census Day is April 1, 2010. Questionnaire responses should represent the household as it exists on this day. More detailed socioeconomic information will be collected annually from a small percentage of the population through the American Community Survey.
• The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. The census will show state population counts and determine representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Census questionnaires will be delivered or mailed to households via U.S. Mail in March 2010; many households will receive a replacement questionnaire in early April. Census workers also will visit households that do not return questionnaires.

The Importance of the Census

• Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $300 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data.
• Census information helps determine locations for schools, roads, hospitals, job training, child-care, senior citizen centers, and more.
• Census data determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the boundaries of legislative districts.

2010 Census Questionnaire: Quick, Easy, and Confidential