The United States Census Bureau is doing all it can to count everyone living in the country in the 2020 Census. As of September 25, Wake County's response rate is 72.3%.

By law, the first results from the census must be provided by December 31. These results are used to decide funding for critical services and infrastructure in our communities + determine how many seats each state gets in Congress over the next 10 years. To provide complete and accurate results by that deadline, the bureau needs to collect responses by next Wednesday, September 30.

This year, for the first time, everyone can choose to respond online, in addition to responding by phone or by mail.

There are a number of protocols and procedures in place to ensure security and data confidentiality. These include:

Federal requirements to protect data
An IT infrastructure to defend against and contain cyber threats
Self-response collections via a secure page + encrypted devices used by census takers

Note: Census responses are not shared with law enforcement or immigration agencies, and responses cannot be used against individuals. All Census Bureau employees take an oath for life to protect census responses and data — violating this oath is a federal crime.

Did you know? NC receives about $16 billion in annual federal funding, and each person not counted equals a loss of between $1,500 and $2,500 per year in federal and state funding. Over the next decade, that equates to a loss of between $15,000 and $25,000 per person.

We have been talking about the 2020 Census since March, so we know you’re getting tired of hearing about it, but it is a Constitutionally mandated count and the deadline is looming. A Census undercount means a loss of political representation and program funds for all.

Responding is quick + easy, and it’s the best way to ensure the future of our communities.

“While many people think of the census as just a population count, it’s much more. It determines how $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to our communities.” — Wake County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Vickie Adamson