How It Benefits Your Community
"Just like we can’t survive without roads and bridges, the country doesn’t function well without an updated Census to distribute funds to areas that most need them and to support community decisions about their own future."
– – Robert M. Groves, Director of the United States Census Bureau
Important for the Community
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When you completed the 2010 Census questionnaire or an in-person interview with a census taker, you made a statement about what resources your community needs.
Accurate data reflecting changes in your community are crucial in apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and deciding how more than $400 billion per year is allocated for projects like new hospitals and schools.
That's more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period for things like new roads and schools, and services like job training centers.
The census effect in action
In addition, residents themselves have used census data to support community initiatives involving environmental legislation, quality-of-life issues and consumer advocacy.
- “This data shows that Phillips has a higher number of both elderly and children under the age of 5 within its boundaries.” A neighborhood in Minneapolis used census data to push for further examination of the environmental and physiological impact of a proposed energy facility. Read the actual petition that was filed in court
- “Florida is rapidly being developed, increasing the threats to wildlife” Save the Manatee Club petitions Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to step up protection of Florida’s at-risk species using census data. Go to the official press release
Redistricting 101: What is redistricting and why do states redistrict?
- Redistricting is the process of changing electoral district and constituency boundaries, usually in response to periodic census results
- The U.S. Constitution requires that electoral districts be periodically adjusted or redrawn to account for population shifts
- While the census does provide information to the U.S. states on population in order for the states to redistrict appropriately, the census is not actually responsible for the act of redistricting. State legislatures or independent bi-partisan commissions (depending on the state) are the bodies that actually redraw district lines.
Other Data Tools
Get interesting stats, numbers and facts using our interactive data tools. Pull info using zip codes or state, or county names. Find out demographic information and chart projected growth for your city, county, state, and much more.Go to tools section
