To achieve an accurate assessment of the number and location of the people living within the nation’s borders, the U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. The census determines the amount of state and federal funding communities receive over the course of the decade. 2010 Census data will directly affect how more than $3 trillion is allocated to local, state and tribal governments over the next 10 years.
Click here to read a message from Mayor Wendell N. Butler, Jr. about the Census 2010.
For this funding allocation to be accomplished fairly and accurately, the goal of the decennial census is to count everybody, count them only once, and count them in the right place. The facts gathered in the census also help shape decisions for the rest of the decade about public health, neighborhood improvements, transportation, education, senior services and much more.
Chester Census Complete Count Committee (CCCC)
The CCCC is a cross section of representatives from government, education, business and religious organizations working as a team to encourage Chester residents to complete the 2010 Census questionnaire in a timely and accurate manner. The commitee meets on a montly basis and is currently working on ways to reach out to residents and promote the census. For more information, residents can visit the Chester Census Information Station at City Hall.
Chester Census Information Station
Chester City Hall
1 Fourth Street
Chester, PA 19013
Emily H. Harris, CCCC Co-Chair: eharris@chestercity
James Turner, CCCC Co-Chair: jet@ceda.cc
Reaching an Increasingly Diverse Population
The goal of the 2010 Census is to count all residents living in the United States on April 1, 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau does not ask about the legal status of respondents in any of its surveys and census programs. To help ensure the nation’s increasingly diverse population can answer the questionnaire accurately and completely, about 13 million bilingual Spanish/English forms will be mailed to housing units in neighborhoods identified as requiring high levels of Spanish assistance. Additionally, questionnaires in Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Vietnamese and Russian—as well as language guides in 59 languages—will be available on request.
Recruiting Census Workers
By 2010, there will be an estimated 310 million people residing in the United States. Counting each person is one of the largest operations the federal government undertakes.
For example, the Census Bureau will recruit nearly 3.8 million applicants for 2010 Census field operations. Of these applicants, the Census Bureau will hire about 1.4 million temporary employees. Some of these employees will be using GPS-equipped hand-held computers to update maps and ensure there is an accurate address list for the mailing of the census questionnaires. Please click here to find out how to apply.
10 Questions, 10 Minutes to Complete
With one of the shortest questionnaires in history, the 2010 Census asks for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether you own or rent your home. It takes only about 10 minutes for the average household to complete. Questions about how we live as a nation—our diversity, education, housing, jobs and more—now covered in the American Community Survey which is conducted every year throughout the decade and replaces the Census 2000 long-form questionnaire.
Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law. All responses are used for statistical purposes only and all are strictly confidential. Information can be found at the 2010 Census web site or the Pennsylvania State Data Center web site.
For more community information regarding the census, view a complete list of informational materials and fact sheets.
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