The U.S. Census Bureau’s Boston Regional Office has announced the selection of One Beacon Street, in Boston as the site for its regional census center to support the 2010 Census.

     The center will employ nearly 180 people during its peak operations in 2010. The 29,000-square-foot site will serve as the management location for the region’s 2010 Census operations.

     “Serving as the region’s operational hub for all 2010 Census activities, the regional census center will provide field management, recruiting, administrative, community outreach and automation support to local census offices and a eventual temporary staff of thousands in our region,” said Kathleen Ludgate, regional director.

     The Boston region includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, upstate New York and Puerto Rico.

     The 2010 Census will have one of the shortest census questionnaires in history, dating to the nation’s first census in 1790. Census day is April 1, 2010. The Census Bureau will mail or deliver more than 130 million questionnaires to households in the United States. All personal information will be kept confidential.

     Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution mandates an actual enumeration of the U.S. population for the purpose of the apportionment of congressional seats. In addition, state and local government agencies, tribal governments, businesses, academia, nonprofit organizations and members of the general public rely on census data to make informed decisions.