COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - CENSUS PARTICIPATION

About Household Surveys
The U.S. Census Bureau compiles information from household surveys to produce statistics that describe populations and their characteristics, such as age, education, housing and income. We collect this data by asking household members to provide information about the people who live in the house, apartment, mobile home or group housing.  To determine the sample of households that are selected to be in a survey, we use a variety of sources, some samples are address-based, others are telephone number- or person-based.
For household surveys, once we select your address, we send you an official letter from the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Because most surveys are “addressed-based,” and we do not know who lives there, most letters are addressed to “the resident of.”  

• Depending on the survey, there may be four options for responding: online, completing and mailing back the paper form, over the phone with one of our Contact Center interviewers, or a personal visit with one of our Regional Office field representatives.
• If we mailed you a form, and we did not receive a completed survey from you, we may follow up with a phone call or personal visit.

To verify that a household survey is legitimate, please refer to our list of Household Surveys first.  You can also verify that the person contacting you is a Census Bureau employee by entering the name into the Census Bureau Staff Search.  If you still have questions or concerns contact the Regional Office for your state and ask, “Am I in a survey?”
We conduct household surveys:

• online/internet
• by mail
• by phone or
• in-person

About Business Surveys 
The U.S. Census Bureau measures the pulse of the American economy through its business surveys and censuses.  Business data collected from various sectors of the economy, such as, manufacturing, construction, retail trade, and health care, along with data collected from state and local governments and international trade provide the most up to date economic view of the country.  Our statistics help businesses compare their operations to industry norms, find new markets and inform key decisions.  We conduct more than 60 monthly, quarterly, annual and periodic surveys and censuses throughout the year and while some survey participation is voluntary, Federal law mandates participation in many of our business surveys.  Even so, we want to encourage businesses to participate for the following reasons:

• The data we collect is important to their industry, community and business
• Federal, state and local government agencies use the data to gauge the effectiveness of their programs
• Trade Associations and Chambers of Commerce rely on the information we collect for economic development and business decisions
• Government agencies, business organizations and their analysts rely on the data for planning and key economic reports
• The data we collect is an essential tool for policymakers who need to make informed decisions

How we collect the data  When a business is selected to participate in a survey or census, they will receive a survey invitation via mail, email or fax. The invitation will provide the instructions, and credentials needed to complete the survey. The invitation will also contain information letting them know:

• Why the information is needed;
• That response is confidential;
• When the response is due.

Some businesses may be contacted prior to receiving a letter as a few of our economic surveys conduct pre-screener operations to confirm/collect contact information or to determine eligibility.  Once we receive the data, we review and analyze the data extensively and take special precautions to avoid the disclosure of our sources.