About the U.S. Census Bureau

About the U.S. Census Bureau There are a lot of people in the United States, and its not easy keeping track of them all. But one agency tries to do just that: the U.S. Census Bureau. Conducting the Decennial CensusEvery 10 years, as required by the U.S. Constitution, the Census Bureau conducts a head count of all the people in the U.S. and asks them questions to help learn more about the country as a whole: who we are, where we live, what we earn, how many of us are married or single, and how many of us have children, among other topics. The data collected isnt trivial, either. It is used to apportion seats in Congress, distribute federal aid, define legislative districts and help federal, state and local governments plan for growth. A Massive and Costly TaskThe next national census in the United States will be in 2010, and it wont be an insignificant undertaking. It is expected to cost more than $11 billion, and around 1 million part-time employees will be enlisted. In a bid to increase data collection efficiency and processing, the 2010 census will be the first to use hand-held computing devices with GPS capability. Formal planning for the 2010 survey, including trial runs in California and North Carolina, begins two years before the survey. History of the CensusThe first U.S. census was taken in Virginia in the early 1600s, when America was still a British colony. Once independence was established, a new census was needed to determine who, exactly, comprised the nation; that occurred in 1790, under then-Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. As the nation grew and evolved, the census became more sophisticated. To help plan for growth, to assist with tax collection, to learn about crime and its roots and to learn more information about peoples lives, the census began asking more questions of people. The Census Bureau was made a permanent institution in 1902 by an act of Congress. Composition and Duties of the Census BureauWith about 12,000 permanent employees-and, for the 2000 Census, a temporary force of 860,000-the Census Bureau is headquartered in Suitland, Md. It has 12 regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Kan., Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Seattle. The bureau also operates a processing center in Jeffersonville, Ind., as well as call centers in Hagerstown, Md., and Tucson, Ariz., and a computer facility in Bowie, Md. The Bureau falls under the auspices of the Department of Commerce and is headed by a director who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Census Bureau doesnt operate strictly for the benefit of the federal government, however. All of its findings are available to and for use by the public, academia, policy analysts, local and state governments and business and industry. Though the Census Bureau may ask questions that seem exceedingly personal-about household income, for example, or the nature of ones relationships to others in a household-the information collected is kept confidential by federal law and is used simply for statistical purposes. In addition to taking a complete census of the U.S. population every 10 years, the Census Bureau conducts several other surveys periodically. They vary by geographic region, economic strata, industry, housing and other factors. Some of the many entities that use this information include the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Social Security Administration, the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics. The next federal census taker, called an enumerator, likely wont come knocking on your door until 2010, but when he or she does, remember that they are doing more than just counting heads. Phaedra Trethan is a freelance writer who also works as a copy editor for the Camden Courier-Post. She formerly worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where she wrote about books, religion, sports, music, films and restaurants.