The 2020 Census is here and ready to be completed by all those residing in the United States. Many may not know the importance of a census, though it assists communities in a myriad of ways. The results of the census will assist in determining how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities each year for the next decade.
This funding shapes many different aspects of all communities, regardless of size and location. A census results in highway planning, construction, grants for public transit systems and more. A census also helps to determine how funds are allocated for grants for teachers and special education as well as the Head Start program. Programs that support rural areas, prevent child abuse, restore wildlife, prepare for wildfires, provide housing for older adults and much more also stem from the census.
“Over the next decade, lawmakers, business owners and many others will use 2020 Census data to make critical decisions,” the 2020 Census website shares. “The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults and children.”
Utah’s overall self-response for the census sits at around 61.6 percent with Carbon County’s self-response coming in around 49.6 percent. Emery County’s numbers come in much smaller at just around 5.8 percent. This census will determine many things and is only a once-a-decade opportunity. The results will determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives and are also used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
More information on the census, such as who is required to respond and more ways that it impacts communities, can be found by clicking here. To respond to the census online, please click here.