The 2020 Census: The Importance of an Accurate and Robust Accounting

The decennial census is the primary source of data on the nation’s population and economy. Census data are used to determine our system of political representation, inform business development and investment, and allocate government funds to where they are most needed. The census and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) inform decision-making in both the public and private sectors, and stand as the benchmark against which public and private surveys and database work are measured. Given the importance of the census to many public and private stakeholders, ensuring an accurate count and the collection of high-quality data is a national policy priority.

With little more than a year remaining before the population count begins, the Census Bureau faces significant challenges that pose a risk to the fairness and accuracy of the 2020 survey. Congress and government officials need to monitor the agency closely and take all appropriate actions to ensure that it has the funding and infrastructure needed to carry out a credible and robust accounting of the population and demographic trends.