Skip to Main Content
south texas college

U.S. Census Information Guide: 2020 Census Questions

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts several data collection programs about the U.S. population which have their own language, geography, and data portals.

2020 Census Questions

  1. How many people are living or staying at your home on April 1, 2020? This will help us count the country's population, and ensure that we count people once, only once, and in the right place according to where they live on Census Day.
     
  2. Whether the home is owned or rented. This will help us produce statistics about homeownership and renters. The rates of homeownership serve as one indicator of the nation's economy. They also help in administering housing programs and informing planning decisions.
     
  3. About the sex of each person in the household. This allows us to create statistics about males and females, which can be used in planning and funding government programs. These data can also be used to enforce laws, regulations, and policies against discrimination.
     
  4. About the age of each person in the household. Similar to recording the sex of each person, the U.S. Census Bureau creates statistics to better understand the size and characteristics of different age groups. Agencies use this data to plan and fund government programs that support specific age groups, including children and older populations.
     
  5. About the race of each person in the household. This allows us to create statistics about race and to present other statistics by racial groups. These data help federal agencies monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as under the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act.
     
  6. About whether a person in the household is of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. These responses help create statistics about this ethnic group. This is needed by federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as those under the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.
     
  7. About the relationship of each person in the household to one central person. This allows the Census Bureau to create estimates about families, households, and other groups. Relationship data are used in planning and funding government programs that support families, including people raising children alone, and other households that qualify for additional assistance.

The Census Will Never Ask Certain Questions

During the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will never ask you for:

  • Your Social Security number.
  • Money or donations.
  • Anything on behalf of a political party.
  • Your bank or credit card account numbers.

If someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau contacts you via email or phone and asks you for one of these things, it's a scam, and you should not cooperate. For more information, visit Avoiding Fraud and Scams.