What Is The Census? Why Is It Important?

The U.S. Constitution requires that every person living in the United States is counted every ten years.  The next census will take place from March through July of 2020. Census data are important to our democracy – these data determine apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and how district lines are drawn at all levels of government. Census data also guide the allocation of more than $800 billion in federal funding to programs that are crucial to the well-being of families and communities.