What is the Census?

The census is a count of everyone living in the United States.  This includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens and non-citizens.  The Census is taken every 10 years and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.  The first Census was conducted in 1790 and has been carried out every 10 years since then.

What does the Census mean to Leon County?
An accurate count of Leon County in the 2010 Census is vitally important to our County’s future. Census data is used to determine how nearly $400 billion is annually allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education and transportation and more.  For example, Census data is the foundation of identifying Designated Target Neighborhoods (DTN’s), which determine where Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are allocated.  It is estimated that for each individual who is not counted by the Census, between $600 and $1,200 is potentially lost to the people of Leon County over the next decade.

Completing the 2010 Census Questionnaire: Simple and Safe
The 2010 Census questionnaire asks only a few simple questions of each person—name, relationship, gender, age and date of birth, race, and whether the respondent owns or rents his or her home. This simple, short questionnaire takes just a few minutes to complete and return by mail. The Census Bureau does not release or share information that identifies individual respondents or their household for 72 years.

Why are partners so important to the 2010 Census campaign?
More than 140,000 organizations supported Census 2000, including state and local governments, community- and faith-based organizations, schools, media, businesses and others. The Census Bureau relies on partners to help explain the importance of completing the 2010 Census message to people in every corner of the United States. This is particularly important in areas isolated by language or geography. By joining forces with partners, the Census Bureau has a far greater chance to reach every U.S. resident than by attempting this monumental task alone.