Census Takers in Your Neighborhood
You may notice census takers in your neighborhood this year.
This is a normal part of conducting the census. Your information is such an important part of the 2020 Census, that if you haven't responded on your own, we send census takers to help make sure you are counted.
The 2020 Census isn't the only activity the Census Bureau has this year. So you may see Census Bureau employees out collecting responses for other surveys, such as the American Community Survey.
Monitoring COVID-19
We’re adapting or delaying some of our operations to protect the health and safety of our staff and the public and make sure we get the same population counted another way.
How Can You Verify That Someone Is a Census Worker?
Census takers will visit some homes in April to conduct quality check interviews or deliver paper questionnaires, and then in mid-May to help collect responses.
If someone visits your home to collect information for the 2020 Census, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. Census workers may also carry Census Bureau bags and other equipment with the Census Bureau logo.
If you still have questions about their identity, you can contact your Regional Census Center to speak with a Census Bureau representative.
Why Are Census Workers Out in Communities?
Census takers play a critical role in the 2020 Census.
In May, they will begin visiting homes that haven't responded to the census to help ensure everyone is counted. These census takers are there to help, and they are legally bound to protect your information.
But that's not the only role they play. You might see census workers in your neighborhood this spring and summer for a few different reasons:
2020: In Focus
In 1790, around 650 U.S. marshals carried out the nation’s first decennial census. In 2020, thousands of census takers will help to conduct the count.
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- They are dropping off census materials.
- They are conducting quality checks related to the census.
- They are collecting responses for other ongoing Census Bureau surveys, such as the American Community Survey. (Please note: If you're invited to participate in one of these other surveys, you're still required to answer the 2020 Census.)
In 2019, census workers helped lay the groundwork for the 2020 Census by verifying addresses in neighborhoods across the country. These workers are called address canvassers, and they help ensure a complete and accurate count by noting where houses, apartments, shelters, and other residences are located.
Be Proactive
Starting in mid-March, homes across the country began receiving an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. The best way to avoid a visit from a census taker is to fill out the 2020 Census questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail as soon as you receive your invitation to participate.
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