United States Census 2020

A federal employee using 1960s census machines to process
census records. (Image from the U.S. National Archives
and Records Administration)

Next year the United States Census Bureau will be reaching out to each household in the country by April 1st, 2020 in order to collect data for the decennial census.  The census “counts every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories,” which are Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Households will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire, with the option of doing so by phone, snail mail, or online.

The 2020 census will mark the 24th time the country has counted its population, which started in 1790—7 years after the end of the Revolutionary War.  Collecting this type of data is important as it is used by federal, state, and city governments and other stakeholders to make decisions regarding budgets and representation, as well as to better understand how to support American communities.

Keep in mind that the Census Bureau will never ask for sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, or bank or credit card numbers; they will also never solicit money or donations.

And for those historical and genealogical researchers out there, the National Archives will be releasing 1950 census records in April of 2022!

Federal Resources:
2020census.gov
2020 Census Research, Operational Plans, and Oversight

Massachusetts state resources:
Massachusetts 2020 Census

Other resources:
Counting for Dollars 2020: The Role of the Decennial Census in the Geographic Distribution of Federal Funds


Kaitlin Connolly
Reference Department