2010 Census Impacts Local Funding

The Census Form is Easy
In March, every household in Minnesota will receive a 2010 Census Form. The 2010 Census is easy: it consists of just 10 basic questions and it will take the average family 10 minutes to complete. You will only be asked your name, phone number, race, ethnicity, home ownership, number of occupants, and other administrative questions. Filling out this form is required by law and your answers are protected.  The information you provide will determine how over $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to the states each year and will help ensure that we get our fair share of representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Fiscal impact of Census
Not responding to the Census jeopardizes adequate funding for programs, services, and infrastructure in your community. $6.2 billion is allocated annually in federal program funds to Minnesota, based in whole or in part on Census Bureau data. That amounts to $1,204 per person annually, or $12,000 over a decade for each person counted in the Census--and $12,000 lost for everyone missed!

Census Impacts Political representation
Minnesota is dangerously close to losing one of its eight Congressional seats, reducing our state’s voice in the nation’s affairs. Estimates show that the difference between losing and keeping a seat could be as small as 2,000 people; given that there are over 5 million people to count, we can't afford to miss anyone!

Confidentiality of Census Responses
Individual census responses are not shared with anyone, including government agencies or private organizations. It is against the law, punishable by fines and incarceration, for the Census Bureau to give personally identifiable information about an individual to any other individual or agency until 72 years after it is collected for the decennial census. After 72 years, the individual census records are sent to the National Archives where they are made public primarily for genealogical research.