You Count!
It’s easy, it’s safe, it’s important. It means dollars and cents for our community.
The 2020 Census is available starting on March 12th and due to Covid-19, completion has been extended through October 31st. To complete the Census online, use the links on this page.
What’s new in 2020?
In 2020, residents can fill out the Census online for the first time! It takes about 10 minutes to complete.
For islanders with a post office box, you will not get a “Census code” delivered to your address. Therefore, when you go online to fill it in, and get to a log-in screen, please click “If you do not have a Census ID, click here.” See picture below for reference.
If you do not fill out the Census online, you can fill out the paper survey, which is only sent to street addresses. If you do not receive rural delivery at your street address, then this is not an option for you and your family. Most of Oak Bluffs does not get rural delivery.
If you do not fill out the survey online, by mail or by phone, then an enumerator will come to your house between July and October.
By April 2020, every home with a physical mailing address should receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. You will have four options for responding:
- Online: https://my2020census.gov
- By phone.
- By mail.
- If you don’t respond before mid July, an enumerator will come to your door.
In mid-March, households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census.
Why is it important?
School lunches. Plans for highways. Support for families in need. Money for your town.
Library funding.
Census results affect your community every day.
The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. That funding shapes many different aspects of every community, no matter the size, no matter the location.
Does the 2020 Census ask about citizenship status?
NO. The 2020 Census does not ask whether you or anyone in your home is a U.S. citizen.
Are non-citizens counted in the census?
YES. Everyone counts. The 2020 Census counts everyone living in the country, including non-citizens. Learn more about who should be counted when you complete the 2020 Census.
Censo dos EUA em português : https://2020census.gov/pt.html
Can my answers be shared with law enforcement or used against me?
NO. The law prevents the Census Bureau from sharing your information with law enforcement. Your answers cannot be used to impact your eligibility for government benefits. Your answers are only used to create statistics about our country. The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to protect your personal information and keep it strictly confidential. That’s every answer, to every question.
Can I only take the census online?
NO. The 2020 Census will be available online, by phone, and by mail. Online responses can be completed in 13 languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Japanese). Phone responses can be in 59 other languages. A paper form will be mailed to every house that hasn’t responded already when we send our fourth mail piece out.
Census and kids
Avoiding Scams Online
Phishing is a criminal act in which someone tries to get your information by pretending to be an entity that you trust. Phishing emails often direct you to a website that looks real but is fake—and may be infected with malware.
It is important to know that the Census Bureau will not send unsolicited emails to request your participation in the 2020 Census. Further, during the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will never ask for:
- Your Social Security number.
- Your bank account or credit card numbers.
- Money or donations.
- Anything on behalf of a political party.
In addition, the Census Bureau will not contact you on behalf of a political party.
Staying Safe at Home
If someone visits your home to collect a response for the 2020 Census, you can do the following to verify their identity:
- First, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
- If you still have questions about their identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.
- See this page for more information: Staying Safe at Home
Reporting Suspected Fraud
If you suspect fraud, call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If it is determined that the visitor who came to your door does not work for the Census Bureau, contact your local police department.