This year, 95 percent of households will receive their census invitation in the mail. Now you can be on the lookout for yours and know what to do with it.
The United States Census Bureau has reported that every household can respond online, by mail, or by phone. Nearly every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census from a postal or census worker. 95% of households will receive their census invitation in the mail.
Almost 5 percent of households will receive their census invitation when a census taker drops it off. In these areas, most families may not receive mail at their home’s physical location (like households that use P.O. boxes or regions recently affected by natural disasters).
Less than 1 percent of households will be counted in person by a census taker instead of being invited to respond independently. This is done in remote areas like parts of northern Maine, remote Alaska, and select American Indian areas that ask to be counted in person.
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What to Expect in the Mail
When it’s time to respond, most households will receive an invitation in the mail. Every household will have the option of responding online, by mail, or by phone. Depending on how likely your area is to respond online, you’ll receive an invitation encouraging you to respond online or an invitation along with a paper questionnaire.
Letter Invitation
Most county areas are likely to respond online, so most households will receive a letter asking you to complete the census questionnaire online. The 2020 Census plans on working with the U.S. Postal Service to stagger the delivery of these invitations over several days. This way, they can spread out the number of users responding online. They’ll be able to serve you better if you need help over the phone.
Letter Invitation and Paper Questionnaire
Areas less likely to respond online will receive a paper questionnaire and their invitation. The invitation will also include information about responding online or by phone. The 2020 Census understands you might miss their initial letter in the mail. Every household that has yet to respond will receive reminders and will eventually receive a paper questionnaire. It doesn’t matter which initial invitation you get or how you get it. They will follow up in person with all households that have yet to respond.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is required to respond?
Everyone living in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
Who should be counted?
Everyone is living in your household as of April 1, 2020. This includes friends, family members, children, newborns, roommates, or anyone renting from you or living and sleeping there most of the time.
Why is the census critical?
The census determines congressional representation and federal funding and provides data that will impact communities for the next ten years.
How do you identify a Census taker?
Census takers will visit homes in April and mid-May for a quality check interview. Below are identifying factors to determine an employee:
- Valid ID Badge (with a photograph, U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date)
- Official Census Bureau Bag
- Equipment with the Census Bureau logo
If you still have questions about identifying a Census taker, contact the Philadelphia Regional Census Center at 267-780-2600 and ask to speak with a Census Bureau representative.
All of the above information was reported by the United States Census Bureau. For more information about the 2020 Census, please visit them online.
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Written by: Crystal Kendrick
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