July 12, 2016

The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. Starting in 1790, the United States government has taken a census every 10 years. A census is an official count of a population. The Constitution requires a census to determine how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives each state should have. The government also collects census data to get a clearer picture of the nation’s population. Today, census forms are mailed to every household. The head of each household is required to fill out the form and return it. In the past, workers went door-to-door to complete each census form. The current national census was held in 2010; the next census is scheduled for 2020 and will be largely conducted using the Internet. In the United States' recent censuses, Census Day has been April 1.