The 2010 Census

The census determines the distribution of more than $400 billion annually of government funding for critical planning and community services. In addition, the census generates thousands of jobs across the country and has an impact on your voice in Congress.

With the help of APA and planners throughout the country, the Census Bureau will continue to produce accurate data, which will directly affect the quality of life in your community.

To learn more about the census and partnership resources, visit http://2010.census.gov/partners/partners/.

Podcast: Post-Katrina Demographics

Estimating the population of New Orleans was a tricky business in the months — and years — after Hurricane Katrina. With the 2010 Census coming up, planner Rafe Rabalais talks about what the official decennial count means for the city, shifts in local demographics since the August 2005 storm, and the tool his company developed to track the resettlement of New Orleans.

Click here to view maps

How Planners Can Help

As a partner, you can play an important role in making the 2010 Census successful by encouraging people in your community to take part in the count.

APA members can:

• Encourage your peers to get involved by joining a Complete Count Committee (CCC), an organized group of other influential leaders in your area who are committed to increasing participation in the census.
• Issue a proclamation or other public endorsement of the 2010 Census.
• Include census information in newsletters, mailings and online.
• Conduct meetings or other events to encourage participation in the census.
• Help recruit census workers.
• Provide space for Be Counted sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers or for testing and training census employees.

The Census: A Snapshot

• What: The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States.
• Who: All U.S. residents must be counted — people of all races and ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens.
• When: 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.
• Why: 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.
• How: 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 a Complete Count

• Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $400 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data.
• Census data guide local decision makers on where to build new roads, hospitals, child care and senior citizen centers, schools, and more.
• Businesses use census data to locate supermarkets, new housing, and other facilities.
• Census data determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.