What is the census all about?
The U.S. Constitution requires that each decade we take a count – or census – of America’s population. The federal government distributes hundreds of billions of dollars annually to states and communities based on U.S. Census Bureau data.
- The census determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress.
- The census helps plan for resident needs including new roads, schools and emergency services.
- Businesses use census data to help provide more local jobs and places to shop.
- Census statistics determine federal funding for school system programs including special education, Head Start, after-school programs, classroom technology, and food assistance, including free and reduced-price school lunches.
In a nutshell, the closer we are to 100% participation, the more federal money comes back to Douglas County for much needed projects. If our community is undercounted based on our residents not completing the census questionnaire, we receive less money.
Watch this 30 second video for a census recap.