What Are the Duties of a Census Taker?

Census takers usually work in their own neighborhoods or communities. They work varied hours, normally 20 to 40 hours per week. Assignments can last up to several weeks.

Census takers perform two main kinds of work: Updating address lists and conducting interviews. Applicants who apply for a census job will be considered for both types of work.

Updating Address Lists

The main address list updating operation is called Address Canvassing, which will take place in spring 2009. During the Address Canvassing operation, census takers visit all the places where people live or could live. The census taker must knock on each resident's door and if someone answers explain that he or she is verifying the correct address for a short census questionnaire that will be mailed in 2010.

Conducting Interviews

The Census Bureau conducts several field operations that are aimed at counting people. Interviewing operations will take place in the spring and summer of 2010. These operations involve knocking on doors and conducting interviews with residents. The largest interviewing operation is called Non-Response Follow-up. Non-Response Follow-up is performed to get responses from people who have not returned the mail-delivered Census form.

What other jobs are available?

Besides census takers, some people will work as Crew Leaders or Crew Leader Assistants. These positions each coordinate the schedules and work of a team of census takers and meet with each census taker on a daily basis. Others will perform office work at Local Census Offices.

What is the work schedule?

Work schedules for census takers typically include from 20 to 40 hours of work per week. Some census operations (such as Address Canvassing) require you to work during daylight hours. For interviewing operations such as Non-Response Follow-up, you must be available to work when people are usually at home, such as in the evening and on weekends. Hours for office jobs are less variable but can involve shift work.