We’re adapting or delaying some of our operations to protect the health and safety of our staff and the public and make sure we get the same population counted another way.
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The 2020 Census is underway and more households across America are responding every day. Online, phone and mailed self-responses will continue throughout the data collection process. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the U.S. Census Bureau is adjusting 2020 Census operations in order to:
- Protect the health and safety of the American public and Census Bureau employees.
- Implement guidance from Federal, State, and local authorities regarding COVID-19.
- Ensure a complete and accurate count of all communities.
Under the adjusted 2020 Census operational plan, field activities would resume after June 1, 2020, as Area Census Offices begin returning to full staff capacity. In-person activities, including enumeration, office work, and processing activities, will incorporate the most current guidance from authorities to ensure the health and safety of staff and the public.
Status of Current Operations
Self-Response Phase
Online, phone and mailed self-responses continue throughout the data collection process.
Planned Schedule
March 12 – July 31
Revised Schedule
March 12 – October 31
Group Quarters (E-Response & Paper Enumeration)
Many group quarters have already begun responding through our e-Response enumeration option.
Planned Schedule
April 2 – June 5
Revised Schedule
April 2 – September 3
Remote Alaska
Early operation to reach parts of Alaska which may be difficult to reach later in the year and whose populations depart for other activities. The operation will be mostly completed on the original planned schedule, though some areas with year-round populations will be enumerated when it is safe to do so.
Planned Schedule
January 21 – April 30
Revised Schedule
Tentatively January 21 – June 19, but may need further review and coordination.
Field Offices at Peak Operations
Managers and staff commence administrative, training, deployment and support activities for peak data collection operations. This includes selecting and hiring field staff.
Planned Schedule
March 1
Revised Schedule
June 1
Update Leave - Stateside
Census takers drop off invitations to respond and paper questionnaires at the front doors of 5 million households stateside while updating the addresses.
Planned Schedule
March 15 – April 17
Revised Schedule
June 13 – July 9
Update Leave – Puerto Rico
Update Leave operations for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, approximately 1.7 million households, will be coordinated separately.
Planned Schedule
March 15 – April 17
Revised Schedule
Needs further review and coordination with outside partners and stakeholders.
Update Enumerate
Census takers interview about 2,000 households in remote parts of northern Maine and southeast Alaska.
Planned Schedule
March 16 – April 30
Revised Schedule
June 14 – July 29
Nonresponse Followup (NRFU)
Census takers will interview households in person. New dates will cover areas previously scheduled for "Early NRFU."
Planned Schedule
May 13 – July 31
Revised Schedule
August 11 – October 31
In-Person Group Quarters Enumeration
Group Quarters that remain as part of our in-person group quarters enumeration efforts will begin in July.
Planned Schedule
April 2 – June 5
Revised Schedule
July 1 – September 3
Service Based Enumeration
We’re working with service providers at soup kitchens, shelters, and regularly scheduled food vans to count the people they serve.
Planned Schedule
March 30 – April 1
Revised Schedule
Needs further review and coordination with outside partners and stakeholders.
Mobile Questionnaire Assistance
Census Bureau staff assists people with responding online at places people gather (events, grocery stores, etc.).
Planned Schedule
March 30 – July 31
Revised Schedule
Needs further review and coordination with outside partners and stakeholders.
Count of People experiencing homelessness outdoors
Census takers count people under bridges, in parks, in all-night businesses, etc.
Planned Schedule
April 1
Revised Schedule
Needs further review and coordination with outside partners and stakeholders.
Enumeration of Transitory Locations
Census takers count people staying at campgrounds, RV parks, marinas, and hotels if they do not usually live elsewhere.
Planned Schedule
April 9 – May 4
Revised Schedule
Tentatively September 3 – September 28, but may need further review and coordination.
Process Apportionment Counts
After collection activities are complete, Census Bureau experts run and review output from programs to unduplicate responses, determine final housing unit status, populate any missing housing unit data on household size and finalize the universe to be included in the apportionment count file.
Planned Schedule
July 31, 2020 – December 31, 2020
Revised Schedule
October 31, 2020 – April 30, 2021
Process Redistricting Data
Census Bureau experts run and review programs to populate any missing demographic data for each household, run differential privacy programs to ensure confidentiality and run tabulation programs for each state delivery.
Planned Schedule
January 1, 2021 – March 30, 2021
Revised Schedule
May 1, 2021 – July 31, 2021
Deliver apportionment counts to the President
By law, the Census Bureau will deliver each state’s population total, which determines its number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Planned Schedule
By December 31
Revised Schedule
Deliver By April 30, 2021
President delivers apportionment counts to Congress
Planned Schedule
Within 7 days of start of legislative session or, approximately 10-20 days after receipt.
Revised Schedule
Within 14 days of receipt.
Deliver redistricting counts to states
By law, the Census Bureau will deliver the local counts each state needs to complete legislative redistricting.
Planned Schedule
By April 1, 2021
Revised Schedule
Deliver By July 31, 2021
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2020 Census Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19 [<1.0 MB]Schedule
