Frequently Asked Questions

What is the census?

The census is a headcount of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. This count happens only once every 10 years and the data from the census is used to distribute federal funding for transportation, education, housing and social services. The data is also used by Congress, the state and the city of Mt. Pleasant to plan for the future needs of the community.

Who gets counted?

Everyone: All residents of the United States must be counted. This includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens and non-citizens.

When does the census happen?

Every 10 years: The next census occurs in 2010. Census questionnaires will be mailed or delivered to every household in the United States in February-March 2010. The questions ask you to provide information that is accurate for your household as of April 1, 2010. The Census Bureau must count everyone and submit state population totals to the U.S. President by December 31, 2010.

Where do I get counted?

Where you live and sleep most of the year. For example, college students should get counted in their college towns, not where their parents live. Individuals who vacation during the winter months, especially during census distribution in February-March 2010, should get counted in the place where they live the most of the time throughout the year. The census defines "most of the time" as six months plus one day.

How do they count everyone?

The Census Bureau will mail or deliver questionnaires to your house, dormitory or apartment in February-March 2010. Households that do not respond will be called or visited by a census worker.

Why should I fill out a census form?

• The census affects funding for important services in our community. Census data is used to determine how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation and much more. That's more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period. Spending just a few minutes to fill out your census form will help ensure Mt. Pleasant receives its fair share of funding.
• The census affects our voice in Congress and our representation in state and local government. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census is used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s also used to define other important functional areas of government.
• The census informs our community's decisions. The census is like a snapshot that helps define who we are as a nation and who we are as a community. Cities and states use the information to make crucial planning decisions, such as where to provide services for the elderly, where to build new roads and schools, or where to locate job training centers.

The census asks for a lot of private information. I’m nervous about giving it.

The U.S. Census Bureau is only allowed to use this information for statistical purposes, so it cannot, and does not, use information that would be personally identifying. The census keeps the information private for 72 years.

All census workers sign agreements and could pay fines or even go to jail for sharing census information, and that includes sharing it with other government agencies—not even the President of the United States can get personal information from the census.

Any Census Bureau employee who violates these provisions is subject to a fine of up to $250,000 or a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.

Some members of my household do not have their residency or work permits in order, and I don’t want anyone to get deported.

In addition to the laws around keeping individual’s information private, even from other agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the census questionnaire does not ask about residency or naturalization status. It’s important for everyone in the household to be counted, because the information helps us provide necessary services to everyone who lives here, regardless of their status.

How do they count people without homes?

The Census Bureau will conduct a count of people experiencing homelessness in an operation called Service-Based Enumeration (SBE). The SBE was designed to count people at service-based locations who might not otherwise be included. Service-based locations include: emergency and transitional shelters for people, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, and pre-identified non-sheltered outdoor locations.

Be Counted forms will also be available at various locations throughout the community for people who believe they have not been counted.

How do they count college students in dorms and other group situations?

College dormitories, sorority and fraternity houses, and group homes are categorized as “Group Quarters.” The Census Bureau has a special process to count those living in Group Quarters that includes working with building and program managers, verifying the addresses, and visiting the site.