The time is now. Help shape your future, and your community’s future, by responding to the 2020 Census.

The count is mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. The 2020 Census counts the population in the United States and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each home should have received an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire— online, by phone, or by mail.

In addition to an invitation to respond, some households will receive a paper questionnaire (sometimes known as the census form). You do not need to wait for your paper questionnaire to respond to the Census.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the U.S. Census Bureau has put all field operations on hold. Meaning, for at least the next several weeks, no one from the Bureau will be knocking on people’s doors reminding them to fill out their Census form.

“I think the biggest challenge at this point is we’ve never had to deal with a pandemic in the history of the Census in terms of we’ve been doing this since 1790,” said Stephen Buckner, Assistant Director of Communications for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Buckner says the Bureau is working with local, state and national health officials, and will have workers back in the field when it is safe. Although, when that will be is still a question.

The U.S. Census Bureau must submit all data to the President and Congress by December 31 ^st .

This year, for the first time, you can fill out your form online. You can also fill it out over the phone or by paper. According to U.S. Census data, the nation is on track with a response rate currently sitting at around 36%.

The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.

The Census determines how much money each state will receive in federal dollars for the next decade for things like healthcare and education.

Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Your community benefits the most when the census counts everyone. When you respond to the census, you help your community gets its fair share of the more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs.

Businesses use census data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, and this creates jobs. Developers use the census to build new homes and revitalize old neighborhoods. Local governments use the census for public safety and emergency preparedness. Residents use the census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.

The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.

The 2020 Census will ask a few simple questions about you and everyone who is or will be living with you on April 1, 2020.

For the first time, you can choose to complete the census online, by phone, or by mail. Please note that if you are responding online, you must complete the census in one sitting, as you don’t have the ability to save your progress.

The 2020 Census counts everyone living in the United States and its five territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

One person should respond for each home. That person must be at least 15 years old. They should live in the home or place of residence themselves and know general information about each person living there.

You should be counted where you are living and sleeping most of the time as of April 1, 2020. If you are responding for your home, count everyone who lives and sleeps there most of the time as of April 1, 2020. This includes young children, foster children, roommates, and any family members or friends who are living with you, even temporarily.

Please note that if someone is staying with you temporarily on April 1 due to the COVID-19 situation, they should be counted where they usually live. This includes college students, who should still be counted at school, even if they are home early because of the COVID-19 situation. housing, the college will count them. If they live off campus, they should respond for the off-campus address and include any roommates or other people living there.

If someone is staying with you on April 1 who doesn’t have a usual home elsewhere, please include them in your response.

People in some living situations—including students, service members, and people in health care facilities—may have questions about how to respond or where they should count themselves. You may also have questions if you are moving, have multiple residences, or have no permanent address.