The 2020 U.S. Census is just about a year away, and the federal government, states, and community organizations across the country are gearing up for the decennial count.

The last census, held in 2010, counted 308.7 million people in the United States, a 9.7 percent increase from the Census 2000 population of 281.4 million.

The country's first census, held in 1790, counted 3.9 million people.

Next year’s census will be America’s 24th and will be different from previous ones because households will have the option of responding to the census survey online, over the phone or by mail.

Here are few frequently asked questions about the U.S. Census:

Why does the U.S. conduct a count of its population?

The U.S. Constitution requires that the country count its population every 10 years. The data collected in the census determines the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and affects the disbursement of federal money to local communities.

Are my responses to the census safe and secure?

The data collected is solely used for statistical purposes and is confidential.

I’m not a U.S. citizen, so do I have to respond to the census?

Everyone who lives in the United States is expected to respond to the census since congressional representation is based on population and not on the number of citizens.

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When is the census?

In March 2020, the Census Bureau will mail invitations for responses to nearly every household in the country and activate the online response form.

Were any groups undercounted in the 2010 Census?

In 2010, an estimated 5 percent of kids under the age of 5, about 1 million, weren’t counted. An analysis by the U.S. Census also found that it didn’t correctly count 1.1 percent of renters and undercounted 2.1 percent of the black population and 1.5 percent of the Hispanic population.

What are some consequences of an undercount?

States with slower population growth can lose representation in Congress. In 2010, for example, New Jersey lost one congressional seat, because the increase of its population was slower than that of other states. Currently, New Jersey has 12 members in the House of Representatives, three fewer than it had in 1975.

Where will the U.S. Census open offices in New Jersey and New York?

The government plans to open nearly 250 offices throughout the country that will manage and support field operations during the 2020 count. The offices will house the managers, staff, materials, and equipment needed to support Census Bureau employees conducting local census operations, including following up with households that do not respond, counting residents living in group housing, and other operations.

Area census offices have opened in Trenton, the South Bronx, North Brooklyn, and Albany, according to information provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Offices are also slated to open in more than a dozen other sites in New York, and in these municipalities in New Jersey: Egg Harbor Township, Newark, Fair Lawn, Parsippany, South Planfield and Toms Rivery.

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In what languages will the census forms be available?

Census forms will be available online and over the phone in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and Japanese.

