How the 2020 Census will invite everyone to respond
- Nearly every household will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census either in the mail or from a census taker.
- 95% of households will receive their census invitation in the mail.
- Almost 5% of households will receive their census invitation when a census taker drops it off. In these areas, the majority of households may not receive mail at their home's physical location (like households that use PO boxes or areas recently affected by natural disasters).
- Less than 1% of households will be counted in person by a census taker, instead of being invited to respond on their own. We do this in very remote areas like parts of northern Maine, remote Alaska, and in select American Indian areas that ask to be counted in person.
What to expect in the mail
When it's time to respond, most households will receive an invitation in the mail. Every household will have the option of responding online, by phone, or by mail.
Depending on how likely your area is to respond online, you'll receive either an invitation encouraging you to respond online or an invitation along with a paper questionnaire.
Letter Invitation
- Most areas of the country are likely to respond online, so most households will receive a letter asking them to go online to complete the census questionnaire.
- We are working with the U.S. Postal Service to stagger the delivery of these invitations over several days. This way we can spread out the number of users responding online, and we'll be able to serve you better if you need help over the phone.
Letter Invitation and paper questionnaire
- Areas that are less likely to respond online will receive a paper questionnaire along with their package. The package will also include information about how to respond online or by phone.
We understand that you might miss our initial letter in the mail.
- Every household that hasn't responded will receive reminders and will eventually receive a paper questionnaire.
- If you don't respond online, by phone, or by mail, we will follow up in person.
What we will send you in the mail:
March 12 - 20 - An invitation to respond online to the 2020 Census (Some households will also receive paper questionnaires)
March 16 - 24 - A reminder letter
If you haven't responded yet:
- March 26 - April 3 - A reminder postcard
- April 8 - 30* - A reminder letter and paper questionnaire. (*Extended from April 8 - 16 to allow more time for addressing the mail packages in the midst of social distancing.)
- April 27 - May 9** - A final reminder postcard before we follow up in person (**Pushed back from April 20-27 to allow for the paper questionnaire package to arrive several days ahead of the final postcard.
For more information visit https://my2020census.gov/
