Census 2020
The 2020 Census counts every person living in the United States and five U.S. territories. In mid-March, homes across the country began receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I receive a paper form?
If you have not already responded to the 2020 Census online or by phone, you may receive a paper questionnaire. Paper questionnaires will be mailed in April.
Note, some remote areas may receive their paper questionnaires from Census Takers. However, 2020 Census field operations are currently delayed due to the evolving COVID-19 crisis. If you don’t want to wait, you can respond online or by phone.
How do I correct a mistake on the online form?
If you feel you have made a mistake, you can return to the online questionnaire and resubmit your information. The Census Bureau has procedures in place to resolve duplicate submissions.
If you’ve already responded using your Census ID, select the link that reads “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” to submit a corrected response for your address. Be sure to respond for everyone who was living at your address on April 1.
Do I need to keep this mail?
No, you do not need to keep the mailings after you have responded. You may also disregard reminder mailings, which may have been sent before you responded. However, the U.S. Census Bureau does conduct other annual household surveys that you may also receive mail for in the future.
I completed the Census already, why am I still receiving mail?
Thank you for responding. We send invitations and reminders through the mail. If you already responded, the reminder may have been sent before we received your response.
Will filling out the 2020 Census impact whether you receive a stimulus check?
No, your answers cannot be used to impact your eligibility for any government benefits, including any potential stimulus package. The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to keep your information confidential, and the answers you provide are used only to produce statistics.
Learn more about How We Protect Your Data.
What do I do if I can’t find my Census ID?
Your Census ID is the 12-digit number that can be found on your questionnaire, letter, and postcard. You can still respond online to the 2020 Census even if you did not receive a letter or paper questionnaire. Go to my2020census.gov and select the link that says, “If you do not have a Census ID, click here.” It is located below the Census ID login field.
What if I know this person’s race but not their origin?
When answering “What is this person’s race?”, you are asked to select one or more boxes and enter detailed origins in the fields below each checkbox.
If you check a box, but leave the origin fields blank, a message will appear at the top of the screen and the blank field will be highlighted in red.
If you do not know this person’s origin, click next again to continue completing your response.
I did not receive anything in the mail. How do I respond?
You can still respond online to the 2020 Census even if you did not receive a letter or paper questionnaire. Go to my2020census.gov. Select the link that says, “If you do not have a Census ID, click here.” It is located below the Census ID login field.
Visit Responding to the Census to learn more.
This address is a vacant home. Should I respond?
If you know that no one will be living or staying at this address on April 1, 2020, go to the online questionnaire to answer a few questions about the home at the address.
First, enter the Census ID that appears on the 2020 Census letter, postcard, or questionnaire for that address. You will be asked you to verify the address and answer whether anyone will be living or staying there on April 1, 2020. A census taker may visit to verify that no one is living or staying there.
This is a business. How should I respond?
If the address is a business, and no one lives or stays there, respond online to answer a few questions about the address.
First, enter the Census ID that appears on the 2020 Census letter, postcard, or questionnaire for that address. Then, answer the questions about whether anyone will be living at the address on April 1, 2020. A census taker may visit to verify that no one is living or staying there.
