Key Census Dates

March 15-17, 2010: Official Census forms mailed out
April 1, 2010: Census Day
April 1-10, 2010: Census replacement questionnaire available
April 22-24, 2010: Reminder postcard mailed out
May 1 - July 10, 2010: In-home follow up to non-responders

50 Ways it makes a difference

• Decision making at all levels of government.
• Drawing federal, state, and local legislative districts.
• Attracting new businesses to state and local areas.
• Distributing over $300 billion in federal funds and even more in state funds.
• Forecasting future transportation needs for all segments of the population.
• Planning for hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and the location of other health services.
• Forecasting future housing needs for all segments of the population.
• Directing funds for services for people in poverty.
• Designing public safety strategies.
• Development of rural areas.
• Analyzing local trends.
• Estimating the number of people displaced by natural disasters.
• Developing assistance programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
• Creating maps to speed emergency services to households in need of assistance.
• Delivering goods and services to local markets.
• Designing facilities for people with disabilities, the elderly, or children.
• Planning future government services.
• Planning investments and evaluating financial risk.
• Publishing economic and statistical reports about the United States and its people.
• Facilitating scientific research.
• Developing "intelligent" maps for government and business.
• Providing proof of age, relationship, or residence certificates provided by the Census Bureau.
• Distributing medical research.
• Reapportioning seats in the House of Representatives.
• Planning and researching for media as backup for news stories.
• Providing evidence in litigation involving land use, voting rights, and equal opportunity.
• Drawing school district boundaries.
• Planning budgets for government at all levels.
• Spotting trends in the economic well-being of the nation.
• Planning for public transportation services.
• Planning health and educational services for people with disabilities.
• Establishing fair market rents and enforcing fair lending practices.
• Directing services to children and adults with limited English language proficiency.
• Planning urban land use.
• Planning outreach strategies.
• Understanding labor supply.
• Assessing the potential for spread of communicable diseases.
• Analyzing military potential.
• Making business decisions.
• Understanding consumer needs.
• Planning for congregations.
• Locating factory sites and distribution centers.
• Distributing catalogs and developing direct mail pieces.
• Setting a standard for creating both public and private sector surveys.
• Evaluating programs in different geographic areas.
• Providing genealogical research.
• Planning for school projects.
• Developing adult education programs.
• Researching historical subject areas.
• Determining areas eligible for housing assistance and rehabilitation loans.

How It Benefits Your Community

The 2010 Census is your community's voice in government.

When you fill out the census form, you're making a statement about what resources your community needs going forward.

Accurate data reflecting changes in your community are crucial in apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and deciding how more than $400 billion per year is allocated for projects like new hospitals and schools.

That's more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period for things like new roads and schools, and services like job training centers.

Questions about the Census

Getting the 2010 form

What if I don't receive the form?

If you did not receive a form, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at 1-866-872-6868. (If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, then dial 1-866-928-2010.) The lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week from February 25, 2010 through July 30, 2010. For the hearing-impaired, TDD 1-866-783-2010 (during the times noted above).

What if I don't have a permanent address?

You should be counted where you live and sleep most of the time. These residence rules serve as the guiding principle for the census, whether you are living with relatives because of a natural disaster or foreclosure, or are a college student living away from home, or a soldier living on a military base.

What if I don't have a home?

At the Census Bureau we understand that these can be challenging times for many people. Because of this, we created the Service Based Enumeration (SBE) operation. The SBE is designed to provide an opportunity for people experiencing some form of displacement or lack of permanent address to be included in the census, by counting them at service-based locations, such as homeless shelters, soup kitchens, etc. The Be Counted form is another way people can take part in the census. Be Counted forms are census forms that are available at various community locations for use by people who either did not receive a census form in the mail or who believe they were not otherwise included on any other census form.

How do I get a form in a different language?

The forms are available in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (simplified), Korean, Russian and Vietnamese. English/Spanish bi-lingual forms will be mailed to areas with large numbers of Spanish-only households. You will be able to request a form in one of the five non-English languages via toll-free numbers that will be available closer to Census Day. However, Language Assistance Guides are available in 59 different languages to help people fill out the English version of the census form. You may also access large print and Braille guides and a language reference dictionary.

Is there another way to get the form other than the mail?

Be Counted forms are census forms that are available at various community locations for use by people who either did not receive a form in the mail or whose information was not collected on any other form. Be Counted forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian. These forms can be picked up in various community locations and mailed back in the attached postage-paid envelope.

Completing the 2010 form

Can I fill the form out online?

No, not this time. We are experimenting with Internet response options for the future

What if I don't fill in the form?

Many residents who do not complete and return a 2010 Census form will receive a replacement form. If no form is mailed back, residents can expect a personal visit from a census taker some time after March 2010. The census taker will ask you the questions on the form, record your answers and then submit the form for your household. Learn more about the census taker.

What if I make a mistake on the form?

If you checked the wrong box, just draw a line through it and mark the correct box for the question. If the error is in a write-in box, carefully draw a line through the incorrect entry and write the correct information as close as possible to the entry.

What if I lose the form?

If you lost or misplaced your form, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center at 1-866-872-6868. (If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, then dial 1-866-928-2010.) The lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week from February 25, 2010 through July 31, 2010. For the hearing-impaired, TDD 1-866-783-2010 (during the times noted above).

Do I have to fill the form in?

Yes. Respondents are required by law to answer all questions to the best of their ability.

What if I provide false information?

According to Title 13, Chapter 7, Subtitle 2, anyone who willfully gives an answer that is false could be fined up to $500.

Privacy & Confidentiality

How do I know the form I received isn't counterfeit?

Any request for census information from the Census Bureau will be clearly identified as coming from the U.S. Census Bureau and as OFFICIAL BUSINESS of the United States. Before your household receives a mailed form, a phone call or a visit from the Census Bureau, you will be given a few days' notice with a letter from the Census Bureau Director.

Security: Who sees my information?

By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, including the IRS, FBI, CIA or any other government agency. All Census Bureau employees take the oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to 5 years, or both. Read more about Privacy & Confidentiality.

Can my neighbor see my information?

No. It is unlawful for the Census Bureau to give personally identifiable information about an individual to any other individual or agency until 72 years after it is collected for the decennial census. Additionally every Census Bureau employee has taken an oath to protect your information and is subject to a jail term, a fine-or both-if he or she discloses ANY information that could identify you or your household.

Census Takers

I filled out and returned the form but a census taker visited my home anyway.

Quality checks are used to assure our procedures are working and that our staff is doing the job they were assigned to do. These checks require that some households be visited more than once. Additionally, if you returned your form late, your response might not be logged before a census taker is sent out.

Why does the census taker visit my home more than once?

Census takers visit local homes up to three times to record resident information for 2010 Census. The census taker leaves a door hanger, featuring a phone number, each time, if the residents they're trying to reach aren't home. Residents can then call the number to schedule the visit. In addition, quality checks to ensure that census procedures are working and census staff is doing their job will require that some households be visited more than once.

Press Releases

Sugar Land Prepares to be Counted as Part of U.S. Census

Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sugar Land community members are working hard to “Make Sugar Land Count” and ensure citizens receive their fair share of $4 trillion in federal funds.

Read full release