The U.S. Census Bureau’s Philadelphia Regional Office has announced the selection of 1234 Market Street, Suite 340, in Philadelphia as the site for its regional census center to support the 2010 Census.

     The center will employ up to 200 people on multiple shifts during its peak operations in 2010. The 27,282-square-foot site will serve as the management location for the region’s 2010 Census operations. It is located in downtown Philadelphia.

     The census centers will be in the same metropolitan areas as the Census Bureau’s 12 regional offices and each will oversee field operations within their region.

     “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 four states and the District of Columbia,” said Fernando E. Armstrong, regional director.

     The Philadelphia region includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, 11 southern counties in New Jersey and the District of Columbia. This region contains some of the nation’s largest metropolitan and rural areas, and has seen an increase in diverse immigrant, foreign-born, and elderly population.

     The 2010 Census will have one of the shortest census questionnaires in history, dating back 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.