The 2030 Census and Cities

A complete count of every person living in the United States, conducted every 10 years as required by the U.S. Constitution. The decennial census is used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to distribute trillion dollars annually in federal funding. 

Legally part of the decennial census, the ACS is an ongoing, representative survey of approximately 3.5 million homes a year (295,000 per month). The ACS replaces the older census “long form” and asks more questions than the decennial questionnaire to produce annually-updated estimates of key social and economic characteristics down to the census tract level, including data on local economies, health and housing. Like the census, response to the ACS is mandatory. 

A voluntary program conducted two to three years prior to the decennial census, during which state and local governments review and help update the Census Bureau’s master address file (MAF). A government’s highest elected official must register a jurisdiction’s participation in LUCA. The Census Bureau must offer the program, by law. 

Fewer people are included in the census than are in the true population.  

More people are included in the census than are in the true population   

Living arrangements where people live or stay in a group living situation, such as college dorms, nursing homes, correctional facilities and shelters. Group quarters are counted separately from traditional households during the census. 

Groups or communities that are historically underrepresented or less likely to respond to the census. This includes renters, young children, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness and people with limited internet access. 

• An accurate census helps ensure fair representation at all levels of government 
• The census directly impacts the funding your city will receive over the next decade. 
• The census provides the most reliable and complete data for research, decision making and planning for both the public and private sectors.  

Planning for the 2030 Census began in 2019. We are now in the Development and Integration Phase. This phase focuses on ongoing research, testing (including the 2026 Census Test and the 2028 Dress Rehearsal), adjustments based on results of testing, and, lastly, continuing operational planning. NLC will continue to update the FAQ as more information becomes available. 

Undercounts of specific population subgroups are a recurring challenge, with some groups missed at disproportionately high rates as opposed to other groups which are often over counted. These inaccuracies in the census can have negative implications both for these communities and their respective municipal governments. Local leaders can play a critical role in reducing undercounts in their cities by helping identify and focus on hard-to-count (HTC) communities within their municipalities.  

Barriers to Being Counted:  

• Language barriers  
• Mistrust in government  
• Privacy/cybersecurity concerns  
• Physical barriers such as inaccessible multifamily units and gated communities  
• Nontraditional living arrangements  
• Lack of reliable broadband or internet access   

Known HTC Groups: 

• Children under 5 years old  
• Racial and ethnic minorities  
• Non-English speakers  
• Immigrants  
• Renters and residents who move often   
• Alternative or overcrowded housing units  
• Gated communities and publicly inaccessible multifamily units  
• Persons displaced by natural disasters  
• Persons experiencing homelessness  
• Young mobile adults  
• Single-parent-headed households 

The Census Bureau counts people at their usual residence – where they live and sleep most of the time. This means college students should fill out the questionnaire at their on- or off-campus residence, not their parents’ address. Foreign citizens living in the United States should be counted at their address in the US. People experiencing homelessness should be counted where they normally are or where they are on Census Day.  

For more information, please review: 

• https://www.nlc.org/article/2019/06/07/what-makes-a-resident-counting-your-community-for-the-2020-census/ 
• https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/memo-series/2020-memo-2018_04-appendix.pdf  

The Census Bureau counts people living in the United States regardless of citizenship or status. The Census Bureau is legally mandated to protect the privacy of respondents and cannot share individual-level data with other parties or agencies.  

Create a complete count committee to get the word out on why the Census is important and share how to take action. Have trusted community voices be a part of this effort to make sure you reach various different communities within your city.  

Resources: 

• https://www.nlc.org/article/2020/08/12/cities-and-libraries-partner-to-achieve-a-complete-census-count-how-were-doing-it-in-kansas-city/ 
• https://www.nlc.org/resource/from-the-event-complete-count-to-community-investment-establishing-permanent-civic-engagement/ 
• https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Census-2020-MAG_0.pdf 
• https://census.nlc.org/resources/every-person-counts  

If you believe your city was not properly counted, you are able to request the Census Bureau to review the data for errors via the Census Count Question Resolution Operation (CQR). CQR are only able to remedy situations where there are errors in surveyed boundaries for your community or if you believe housing units were excluded. You cannot use the CQR to remedy issues related to response rates.  

If you have added new land to your municipal boundaries or experienced a major growth in population, you can apply for a special census to be conducted by the Census Bureau in between the decennial census programs. Your municipality will be required to pay for the special census. Special census results may be used in determining state-level funding.