On January 1, 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the total U.S. population at more than 308.4 million. This estimate is based on the formula of one birth every eight seconds and one death every 12 seconds. But now, it’s time to move away from estimates and formulas and on to hard data. Let the counting begin because the 2010 U.S. Census is underway.

The goal of the 2010 Census is to count all residents living in the United States. The Bureau is attempting to count everyone (citizens and otherwise). To do this, the U.S. Census Bureau will not ask about the legal status of respondents in any of its surveys and census programs. Census data determines the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. This data also can help determine the allocation of federal funds for community services, such as school lunch programs and senior citizen centers, and new construction, such as highways and hospitals. From a business perspective, demographic data helps shape marketing plans and messaging, as well as the locations that best meet your product or service’s target niche.

HISTORY
The first Unites States census took place in 1790 to determine the number of seats each state would have in the U.S. House of Representatives. The census also was created to gain a better understanding of where people lived and to establish patterns of settlement as the nation grew. The Census Bureau was established in 1902. Today, in addition to administering the census of population and housing, the Census Bureau conducts more than 200 annual surveys, including the American Community Survey, the Current Population Survey and economic censuses every five years.

TIMELINES
Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves officially started the 2010 Census by visiting a household in Noorvik, an Inupiat Eskimo village in western Alaska on January 25, 2010. The rest of the nation will receive census forms in the mail in mid-March. (This year’s census questionnaire has only 10 questions; further economic data will be collected via smaller groups via the annual American Community Survey.) If you don’t return your questionnaire by mail, expect a knock at your door between May and July when official Census workers visit homes to collect data. Fast Fact: April 1, 2010 is the official Census Day.

LANGUAGE ACCESS
To help ensure the nation’s increasingly diverse population can answer the questionnaire accurately and completely, about 13 million bilingual Spanish/English forms will be mailed to housing units in neighborhoods identified as requiring high levels of Spanish assistance. Additionally, questionnaires in Spanish, Chinese (simplified), Korean, Vietnamese, and Russian — as well as language guides in 59 languages — will be available on request. Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) will also assist those unable to read or understand the questionnaire. Large-print questionnaires are available to the visually impaired upon request, and a Teletext Device for the Deaf (TDD) program will help the hearing impaired. Contact your Regional Census Center for more details about the types of assistance available and for QAC locations.

Find out more
The U.S. Census Bureau has a large-scale marketing and public relations campaign underway. Its website is loaded with information and statistics from previous surveys, as well as timelines, press kits, and tip sheets for the 2010 Census.

Interested in a brand or advertising campaign evaluation? Please contact us.

Sources
U.S. Census Bureau