Newsroom

Census Bureau Tip Sheet

A product of the U.S. Census Bureau's Public Information Office

Upcoming

2010 Census

Mailing of 2010 Census Forms Begins — Census Bureau Director Robert Groves will highlight the mailout of 2010 Census questionnaires to more than 120 million households across the nation at a news conference in Phoenix. Mailout begins March 15. Residents are encouraged to promptly fill out the forms and mail them back in postage-paid envelopes. Event scheduled for March 15 in Phoenix at 9:30 a.m.
Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb10-cn29.html>.

Giant Census Forms Unveiled — The Census Bureau will display 20-foot 2010 Census forms at popular public places in major cities across the country. These forms will help create awareness and participation in the 2010 Census. (Scheduled for release March 15.).

Mailing of Bilingual (English/Spanish) 2010 Census Forms Begins — For the first time in census history, bilingual forms (English/Spanish) will be mailed to neighborhoods with a traditionally high number of Spanish-speaking residents. (Scheduled for release March 16.).

2010 Census "Take 10" Initiative Launch — Census Bureau Director Robert Groves will launch the 2010 Census "Take 10" online display of mail participation rates at the National Press Club in Washington. Available on the Census Bureau's Web site, the online display or mapping program will show 2010 Census mail-back participation rates in real-time. Event scheduled for March 22 at 9 a.m.

2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour — The 2010 Census Road Tour is part of the largest civic outreach and awareness campaign in U.S. history — stopping and exhibiting at more than 800 events nationwide. Some upcoming stops include Phoenix (spring training game, March 15), Denver (Powwow, March 19), St. Louis (NCAA Regional, March 26) and Indianapolis (Final Four, April 3). Media advisories providing further details will be released several days before the events.

2010 Census Blogs — Follow the latest news about the census on several key blogs on the 2010 Census Web site. The "2010 Census Director's Blog" provides updates from Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "The Whole Story: Real People, Real Questions, Real Answers" lays out the facts on key issues of concern to the public. The "Road Tour" blog provides tour dates and locations of our 13 Road Tour vehicles as they promote participation in the census around the country <http://2010.census.gov/2010census/>.

Demographic

Economic Characteristics of Households in the United States: Third Quarter 2008 — Examines the roles of government-sponsored benefit programs and the labor market in helping people cope with the recession. Specifically, it presents data on average monthly income, participation in government-sponsored social welfare or insurance programs and labor force activity during the period. The data are from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation; they do not supersede the official income estimates released in September 2009. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

State Government Tax Collections: 2009 — This survey provides an annual summary of taxes collected by state for up to 25 categories, such as property tax, sales and gross receipts taxes, license taxes, income taxes and other taxes. Data also provide details on tax collections by type of tax imposed and collected by state governments. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

County, Puerto Rico Municipio, Metropolitan and Micropolitan Area Population Estimates: July 1, 2009 — Internet tables showing population estimates, rankings and components of change for the nation's counties, county equivalents, metro and micro areas since the 2000 Census and up to July 1, 2009. These are the last population estimates for these entities the Census Bureau will publish before the release of the official 2010 Census counts in spring 2011. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

Economic

2007 Economic Census of Island Areas: Puerto Rico — The economic census, which profiles Puerto Rico's economy every five years, includes statistics for Puerto Rico manufacturing by metropolitan statistical areas and municipios (county equivalents). The data files provide information on the number of employees and production workers, value added by manufacture, cost of materials, value of shipments and capital expenditures. (Scheduled for release March 16.)

2008 Annual Survey of State and Locally Administered Public Employee Retirement Systems — This survey provides revenues, expenditures, financial assets and membership information for public employee retirement systems. Data are shown for individual retirement systems at the national, state and local government level. This survey provides current data about investment decisions by state and local government retirement systems, which are among the largest types of institutional investors in U.S. financial markets. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

2007 Economic Census: Manufacturing Geographic Area Series — This is a series of state-, county-, place- and metro area-level data files on the manufacturing sector (NAICS 31). These include data for industries such as bottled water, plastic bottles, breakfast cereal, retail bakery products, mobile homes, nitrogenous fertilizers and others. The files provide data on the number of establishments, payroll, number of employees and other data items by industry. These data will be released February through May 2010. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

2008 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey — These data provide the latest information on capital investment in new and used structures and equipment, secondhand machinery and other used depreciable assets by nonfarm businesses. They are useful for identifying business opportunities, product development and business planning. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

Facts for Features

Cinco de Mayo — "The Fifth of May," a national holiday in Mexico, has become a time to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture. The Census Bureau joins in the festivities with a collection of demographic and economic data relating to U.S. residents of Mexican descent. (Tentatively scheduled for release in March.)

Broadcast/Photo/Multimedia/Television

Radio

Profile America and Al Día (Spanish) for March and April — Profile America segments include making a list in "Ten Most Wanted Criminals" (March 16) and not fooling about on "Census Day" (April 1).

The daily features are available at <http://www.census.gov/multimedia/www/radio/>. The menu options allow selection for Profile America and Al Día, with download options for MP3 (including podcast subscription) and WAV files, or zip files for the entire month (MP3).

Video

It's Easy — A series of videos in numerous languages explain how to fill out the 2010 Census questionnaire. (Tentatively scheduled for release in mid-March.)

Recently Released

(Since Feb. 26, 2010)

2010 Census

Delivery of 2010 Census Advance Letters Begins — March 8 — Letters telling residents that they will soon receive a 2010 Census questionnaire in the mail went out starting March 8. Years of research have shown that higher percentages of people receiving the mailed census questionnaire return a completed form after they receive the advance letter compared with those who receive merely the census form with a simultaneous request to return it. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb10-cn25.html>.

Distribution of 2010 Census Questionnaires Begins in Areas Without City-Style Addresses — March 1 — On March 1, census workers began delivering 2010 Census forms to residents that lack city-style street addresses, mostly in rural areas. The workers are updating or confirming the location and leaving a census form. Residents are encouraged to promptly fill out the forms and mail them back in postage-paid envelopes. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb10-cn21.html>.

Census Bureau Makes Special Efforts for Complete Count of Hurricane-Affected Areas in the Gulf Coast — March 2 — Committed to ensuring a complete count in hurricane-affected areas of the Gulf Coast, the Census Bureau met with local government officials and community leaders to assess the 2010 Census efforts. Census takers have already begun hand-delivering 2010 Census questionnaires to every housing unit in Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes and parts of Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. John and St. Charles parishes in Louisiana. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb10-cn22.html>.

Facts for Features

Census Historical Highlights: 1790 to 2010 — March 11 — Every census dating back to 1790 has been unique. The first mail-out decennial census took place in 1960; most households were asked to complete the questionnaire and hold it until an enumerator came to pick it up. Find out how the decennial census has gone from horseback to the blogosphere. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ffse02.html>.

Mother's Day (May 9, 2010) — March 9 — Flowers, perfume and jewelry are all popular gifts given on this special day honoring our nation's moms. This fact sheet presents statistical information from the Census Bureau's economic and demographic subject areas on these and many other topics pertaining to this observance. Internet: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff09.html>.

2010 Census by the Numbers — March 8 — To mark the nation's 23rd count of the population, the Census Bureau presents an array of basic facts about the 2010 Census. For example, the Census Bureau will be contacting an estimated 134 million housing units, either by mail or in person, to conduct the 2010 Census. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ffse01.html>.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) — March 2 — We celebrate the contributions of Asian/Pacific Americans to our nation with a host of statistical information on this group. Statistics are included for Asians as well as Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders covering demographics and businesses. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff07.html>.

Older Americans Month (May) — March 2 — We celebrate the contributions of our nation's 65-and-older residents with data on their demographic characteristics. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff06.html>.

Broadcast/Photo/Multimedia/Television

Radio

Profile America and Al Día (Spanish) for February — Profile America segments included loving those brotherly blooms in "Philadelphia Flower Show" (Feb. 28) and from there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere in "Dr. Seuss" (March 2). Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/multimedia/www/radio/>.

Photo

Photos of the 2010 Census mail-out/mail-back phase can be found on the Census Bureau's photo site. Internet address: <http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/2010-census-timeline/mailoutmailback/index.php?p,n24>.

Video

Visit the 2010 Census Bureau's 2010 Multimedia Center for 2010 Census-related advertising and feature videos. Videos give information on a range of 2010 Census topics.

2010 Census Take 10 Campaign — Describes how America will be able to watch participation unfold during the next few months as residents mail back their 2010 Census forms. Online site will show mail participation for states, counties, cities and census tracts. Internet address: <http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/spread-message/from-the-director/take-10.php>.

Trusted Voices — Celebrities and leaders from across the nation are calling the American people to action and encouraging them to participate in the census by filling out the 2010 Census form and mailing it back. Internet address: <http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/spread-message/index.php?v,n2>.

The Founding Fathers — Our fledgling nation had a bold and ambitious plan to empower the people over their new government. The plan was to count every person living in the newly created United States of America. Internet address: <http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/spread-message/constitution/index.php?v,n8>.

Television Ads — Advertising on TV is part of the Census Bureau's national advertising campaign to boost mail participation rates in the once-a-decade population count. For every percentage point increase in the 2010 Census mail-back participation rate, the bureau saves about $85 million. Internet address: <http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/paid-ad-campaign/new-ads/index.php?v,n12>.