Census Day is next Wednesday, April 1, which means the government wants to know where you live as of that date. With today’s fluid world it’s more important than ever to ensure you take part in the count for the 2020 Census.

What does the data from the Census lead to exactly? Well, here’s a short rundown about some of the incentives that come from the Census.

WHAT DOES YOUR 2020 CENSUS DATA DO?

Your data is used to sed to draw congressional and state legislative districts. Meaning, the more people who fill out their census form, the better representation Michigan will have at the federal level, and Metro Detroit will have better representation at the state level. Your 2020 Census Data Determines where Federal funding goes. Based on results, hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding will be allocated to communities across the country—for hospitals, fire departments, school lunch programs, and other critical programs and services. The data acquired by the 2020 Census is used by businesses to make decisions, such as where to open new stores, restaurants, factories, or offices, where to expand operations, where to recruit employees, and which products and services to offer. Answers from your 2020 Census also go on to influence highway planning and construction, as well as deciding where to utilize grants for buses, subways, and other public transit systems. The more accurate the count, the better the infrastructure Detroit, and Michigan will have. Census data also goes into improving schools by determining how much money is allocated for the Head Start program and for grants that support teachers and special education. The information acquired by the count has a wide array of uses for your community. These range from, helping to plan programs to support rural areas, to restore wildlife, to prevent child abuse, to prepare for wildfires, and to provide housing assistance for older adults.

So be counted Detroit! Also, be sure to check out the Census Bureau app so you can see how many people in your city or town have responded.