Census 2010: Lake County Counts!

Information about the United States 2010 Census and what it means for Lake County, Florida.

2010 Census 'Take 10 Challenge'

The Census is underway and we are asking Lake County residents to take 10 minutes to complete and mail back their 2010 Census forms. Help us beat our 2000 Census mail-back rate. Want to see how others are doing? Visit the federal Census Bureau website and explore the interactive Google Map showing the current 2010 Census participation rates.

The Census: A Snapshot

• What: The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States.
• Who: All U.S. residents must be counted—people of all races and ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens.
• When: Census Day is April 1, 2010. Questionnaire responses should represent the household as it exists on this day.More detailed socioeconomic information will be collected annually from a small percentage of the population through the American Community Survey.
• Why: The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. The census will show state population counts and determine representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• How: Census questionnaires will be delivered or mailed to households via U.S. mail in March 2010; many households will receive a replacement questionnaire in early April. Census workers also will visit households that do not return questionnaires.

A Complete Count: The Importance of Census Data

• Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $300 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data.
• Census data guide local decision-makers on where to build new roads, hospitals, child-care and senior citizen centers, schools, and more.
• Businesses use census data to locate supermarkets, new housing and other facilities.
• Census data determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2010 Census Questionnaire: Quick, Easy and Confidential

• With only 10 questions, the 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest questionnaires in history and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
• By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s census questionnaire responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.