Why Should I Participate?

Data from the American Community Survey helps your community. The information that the Census Bureau collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services. Through the ACS, we know more about jobs and occupations, educational attainment, veterans, whether people own or rent their home, and other topics. Public officials, planners,
and entrepreneurs use this information to assess the past and plan the future.

When you respond to the ACS, you are doing your part to help your community plan hospitals and schools, support school lunch programs, improve emergency services, build bridges, and inform businesses looking to add jobs and expand to new markets, and more.

May 21, 2015

Participating in the American Community Survey is safe. All Census Bureau employees take an oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data.  Violating the oath is a serious crime. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to 5 years, or both.

Thank you for your time and effort. It makes a difference!