Get Counted!

Last week I wrote about taxes, but that is not the only activity this season - it is also time for the decennial census. Every 10 years, the people of the United States are given the opportunity to be counted. Census questionnaires are being mailed out to every household in the country, and your response will help the government better allocate funds to improve your community.

Here are some facts about the history of the census, taken from the Census.gov website:

• The first census began more than a year after the inauguration of President George Washington. At its conclusion, the U.S. population totaled approximately 3.9 million and the largest cities were New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Boston, MA.

• Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, ex-slaves were named in the 1870 census for the first time. Before then, they were simply recorded numerically by age.

• The 1900 census included Hawaii (annexed in 1898) for the first time. Census takers counted approximately 154,001 inhabitants on the islands.

• The 1940 census collected information about the population and its housing. It was also the first decennial census to use advanced statistical sampling techniques. Sampling allowed the addition of a number of demographic questions without unduly increasing the overall burden on respondents and data processing.

• Census 2000 incorporated a $167 million advertising campaign to reach every person living in the United States. This advertising contributed to a reversal in the decline of response rates experienced since the 1970 census.

For more information about this year's census, visit the 2010 Census page. If you have questions, or need help filling out your form, the English language assistance number is 1-866-872-6868.