NEW CHANGES COMING TO THE 2020 CENSUS

In a recent article in the Washington Post, authors Ted Mellnik and Reuben Fischer-Baum highlight new approaches implemented by the U.S. Census Bureau to plan, educate, and motivate respondents for Census 2020. Some key changes include:

  • The U.S. Census Bureau has made extensive use of aerial imagery to confirm addresses for 2020, rather than sending census workers to complete the task (video for mapping wonks);

  • It’s estimated that it will cost $15.6 Billion to count roughly 330 million Americans in 2020;

  • A more technologically-driven and automated census means:

    • The Bureau will employ 475,000 census takers, down from roughly 600,000 census takers in Census 2010 (largely due to the internet response option);

    • Census takers conducting non-response follow-up will collect census data using an iPhone 8s, and;

  • The Bureau plans to spend a record $1.43 per U.S. resident on marketing for the 2020 Census, compared to $1.22 per resident in Census 2010.

Jason Jurjevich