Opportunities like these don’t come around often, to be more specific they only come around every ten years. Yes, we’re talking about the census, a once-in-a-decade count of everyone in the United States. While we continue to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at home, we can cross completing the 2020 census off our to do list.

The survey can be completed in a few minutes and has a lasting impact on the well-being of our communities in the valley. Data collected from the census helps inform where billions in federal funding will go every year for the next ten years. Funding that can help support essential services such as hospitals, schools, roads, and community programs.

So far, 49% of Maricopa County has completed the census. The other 51%, about 2.3 million residents, have until August to complete the survey online, by phone, or mail. The survey focuses on gathering information about who lives in your household and doesn’t ask anything regarding social security, banking information or citizenship status. To ensure an accurate count it’s important that everyone, citizens and non-citizens alike, complete the census. All answers submitted to the Census Bureau are protected by law and cannot be used for any other purpose.

Help bring funding and resources to improve the quality of life throughout our communities. To complete the census visit, My2020Census.gov. To keep track of the 2020 census response rate visit, 2020Census.gov/en/response-rates