Census 2020 Official Web Page
The 2020 Census counts every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
The count is mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. The 2020 Census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each home will receive an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire—online, by phone, or by mail.
Why We Conduct This Count
Impact of the Census in Your Community.
The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.
The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
It's also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.
What Questions Will Be Asked?
Questions asked in the 2020 Census.
Please note - there is NO question regarding citizenship in the 2020 Census.
Information for Students
How to Respond -Includes language support, online response guide, and phone response guide.
Responding Online -If you do not have your Census ID visit the online form and select “Start Questionnaire.” Below the ID field, click the link that says, “If you do not have a Census ID, click here.”
Census Bureau Statement on Counting College Students during COVID-19 -If you were living in on-campus housing during Spring 2020 semester, UMD is working on ways to count you.