What Data the Census Bureau Collects & When
How the Data is Used
--to determine the distribution of Congressional seats to states--
- mandated by the U.S. Constitution
- used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
- used to define legislature districts, school district assignment areas and other important functional areas of government
- Find out about the 2010 Census Redistricting Data Program.
--to make decisions about what community services to provide
- For example, changes in your community are crucial to many 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
- to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year
--Census data affects how funding is allocated to communities for:
- neighborhood improvements
- public health
- education
- transportation
- and much more
- to provide information for:
- Qualifying for Social Security and other retirement benefits
- Passport applications
- Proving relationship in settling estates
- Researching family history or a historical topic
Additional Census Information
American Factfinder
Your source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data
United States Historical Census Browser
Hosted by the University of Virginia Library, it covers 1790-1960
