Oregon 2020 Census Guide

By participating in the Census, we can help Oregon families get the healthcare, housing, schools and other services we need to thrive.

Introduction

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Every ten years, the US Census counts every person in the country. You are counted regardless of where you live, how old you are, or your citizenship or immigration status. The results of this year’s Census will decide Oregon’s share of billions of federal tax dollars for schools, hospitals, roads and more. Data collected during the Census is used to draw lines for state and federal legislative districts for the next 10 years, and Oregon could gain a sixth Congressional seat in the House of Representatives.

If our families don’t get counted in the Census, Oregon loses out on dollars to support our communities. More than 600 federal programs will use data from the 2020 Census to distribute funding.

  1. The Oregon Health Plan provides healthcare to 1 in 4 Oregonians. The federal government uses Census data to give our state $6.6 Billion to pay for Medicaid.
  2. 1 in 6 households in Oregon gets SNAP, sometimes called food stamps. The Census brings in $1 Billion to support Oregon families get immediate food on the table and stabilize family budgets.
  3. Almost 1 in 3 college students in Oregon gets a Pell grant. Census data is used to allocate $318 million in Pell grant funding.

What to Expect

March 2020

You will receive a letter in the mail with a code to complete the 2020 Census through an online form.

March through April 2020

Census Bureau will send reminder postcards and letters asking you to complete the Census.

Beyond May 2020

Due to COVID19, in person outreach by Census workers has been delayed. Census forms are now due by October 31.

WHAT QUESTIONS ARE ON THE CENSUS?

  • The number of people living or staying in your home on April 1, 2020
  • Whether the home is owned or rented
  • Telephone number
  • The relationship of each person in your home
  • The name, sex, age and race of each person in your home
  • Whether a person in your home is of Latino, Hispanic or Spanish origin

WHAT'S NOT ON THE CENSUS?

  • NO immigration status or citizenship status question
  • NO social security number information needs to be provided
  • NO questions about membership in any political party
  • NO bank card or credit card information will be asked for
  • NO financial contribution, donation, or money requests of any type

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

  • The US Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The law ensures that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court, including Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).
  • Responses about how many people are living in the household on April 1 are confidential and will NOT be shared with landlords or property owners.
  • Some Census questions don’t provide options that you might need, especially around race, gender identity or sexual orientation. The Census Bureau respects how people self-identify on the Census. Since responses are restricted to few options for many questions, answer how you self-identify.

Questions?

To get official information about the US Census, visit 2020Census.gov.