2010 U.S. Census: 10 Questions, 10 Minutes

March 8, 2010 - It happens every 10 years.  It’s mandated by the U.S. Constitution.  It matters.

Most of the nation’s 120 million households — 90 percent of the population — should receive their census forms in mid-March.  With only 10 questions to complete, this year’s census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history. 

Once every decade the U.S. government completes a census of everyone residing in the 50 contiguous United States and Washington, D.C.  The census also includes Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.  People of all ages, races and ethnic groups are counted. 

As a U.S. Census Partner, ERIE volunteered to take an active role in encouraging all ERIE Employees, Agents, Customers and visitors to www.erieinsurance.com to take the time to complete their forms. 

Send It Back, Save the U.S. Money

Citizens and non-citizens alike are encouraged to promptly complete and return their forms using the postage-paid envelope included with each form.  In addition to providing important information, returning the form quickly saves the government money.  Households who do not return their forms will be visited by census workers at an approximate cost of $25 per visit — much more than the cost of the 42-cent, postage-paid envelope.

Personal Deliveries

While most households will receive their forms in the mail, approximately 56,000 census workers have already been hand-delivering forms to individuals in rural areas.  This year, forms are also being hand-delivered to Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina to help ensure each household receives one.

Census History

The first U.S. Census took place in 1790 at a time when our nation was growing.  It was designed to gain an understanding of where people were living and where they were establishing settlements.  This information was needed to determine the number of seats each state would have in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Today the census is just as important.  The federal government allocates over $400 billion to states and communities every year, and decisions regarding who gets what are based in part on census data.  Census data are also used to:

• Determine locations for schools, roads, retail stores, hospitals, new housing developments and other community facilities.
• Determine boundaries for state and local legislative and congressional districts.

Keeping Personal Data Personal

All census responses are confidential and protected by law.  The Census Bureau takes extreme measures to protect the identities of all individuals and businesses.  Every Census Bureau worker also takes an oath for life to protect confidentiality.  Census workers in violation of this law can be fined up to $250,000 and sentenced to up to five years in prison. 

Census workers are identifiable by their U.S. Department of Commerce badges and will never ask for your Social Security Number, credit card or bank information.  (See related story.)

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