As you know every ten years, the Federal Government counts the number of people who live in the United States by conducting a census. This is required by the U. S. Constitution.
Census data are used to determine the number of representatives your state receives in the U.S. Congress, as well as your community’s representation in the state legislature. The data are also used to distribute more than $400 Billion in federal funds each year to communities for establishing and improving schools, hospitals, roads and senior services. Our state government and in some instances, county government and businesses also uses the census the same way to allocate services based on headcount or to verify how many people live in a given area.
Children have been undercounted in every census since the first one in 1790. Please remember to include all your children – even babies when you complete the 2010 Census form. All infants, children and adults who live in a household should be counted, regardless of nationality, citizenship status, race, age or gender.