Counting Counts! 2010 Census.

Census: Who, What, Where, When, and Why?

Being counted in the Census counts because its provides the government the ability to know where it should spend our money. For example, if a city or town has more children living in it than it had ten years ago, it might be a good place to build another school or playground. The census helps determine the distribution of roughly $300 billion a year in federal funds to state and local governments – or $3 trillion over a ten-year period.

What: It’s a count.
- The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas.

Who: Everyone & everywhere in the U.S.
- All residents of the United States must be counted. This includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens and non-citizens.

When: Every 10 years.
- Census questionnaires will be mailed or delivered to every household in the United States in March 2010. The first Census was conducted in 1790.

Why: The numbers affect funding in y(our) community.
- The population totals determine each state’s Congressional representation. The numbers also affect funding in your community and help inform decision makers about how your community is changing.

How:
- The Census Bureau will mail or deliver questionnaires to your house in March 2010. The Bureau will mail a second form to households that do not respond to the initial questionnaire. Households that still do not respond will be called or visited by a Census worker. (Census workers can be identified by a census badge and bag.)

March 2010 be counted.