Every household in the country will receive a census questionnaire in mid-march 2010. To ensure an accurate and fair count of all populations at all geographic levels in the nation, the Census Bureau needs you or someone in your household to respond to the census questionnaire.  By completing your questionnaire you are providing data that will help your nation, your state and your community make major decisions over the next 10 years.   Below are some of the most important decisions made throughout the United States directly based on Census data.

Census affects your voice in Congress

The Census count provides the data that serves as the basis for the apoortionoment of the 435 members of the United States House of Representatives among the states. Ifwe want our presence to count, and our voices to be heard it is importnat thate we all be counted.

Census affects your representation in state and local government

Census data are used to define legislature districts, school district assignment areas and other important functional areas of government.

Census affects funding in your community

Census data directly affect how more than $300 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation, emergency services and everything else that families and communities will need for the next ten years. That's more than $3 trillion over a 10-year period. If one person fails to be counted they are costing their community a lot of necessary funds. Multiply that by ten years. That equals a huge and significant loss of available money for your community. Spending just a few minutes to fill out your census form will help ensure your community gets its fair share of federal and state funding.  There are a list of federal grants which require Census data be used in determining where funding is distributed.

Census informs your community's decisions

The census is like a snapshot that helps define who we are as a nation. Data about changes in your community are crucial to many planning decisions, such as where to provide services for the elderly, where to build new roads and schools, or where to locate job training centers.