2020 Census
Submitted by Katie Mauro
The 2020 Census is here. Help Rahway residents receive the funding and representation we deserve by completing your 2020 Census!
Funding from the 2020 Census will impact Rahway residents for the next 10 years. Our public schools, roads, Public Library, Recreation Center, health centers and more depend on the funding.
Responding to the 2020 Census helps every generation in our community. An accurate count means that communities receive the funding, services, and business support they deserve and need. The count determines how many seats each state gets in Congress. It also guides how more than $675 billion of federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year for the next ten years (that’s $6.75 trillion!). Census information is important for funding services for every generation: early childhood care and education, school lunches, NJ FamilyCare, fire and police departments, federal student loans, affordable housing, Medicare Part B, senior housing, and SNAP (“food stamp”) benefits. It also helps determine where roads and hospitals are needed.
Rahway was undercounted in the 2010 Census. An undercount can mean less funding and representation in Congress. New Jersey was undercounted in 2010, resulting in the loss of a seat in Congress, and some NJ counties received less funding for programs like senior transportation services.
Everyone counts regardless of age, citizenship, relationship, or housing status. Make sure to count newborns, young children, college students living in your home, senior citizens, roommates, tenants, and family. Responding is safe, easy, and convenient. You can complete the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.
Look for your 2020 Census invitation in the mail:
March: The Census mailed out letter invitations for households to respond either online or by phone. Some households were mailed paper questionnaires.
Late March/Early April: The Census will mail a reminder letter to households that have not yet responded.
Mid-April: The Census will mail a paper questionnaire to households that have not yet responded.
Late April: The Census will mail a final reminder before a Census taker follows up in person.
The 2020 Census will not ask your citizenship status. The Census will never ask for your Social Security Number, money, or donations. Your responses are confidential and protected by federal law, and Census data is never shared with any law enforcement agency, including local law enforcement or ICE. To learn how the US Census Bureau protects your information, visit 2020Census.gov.
The 2020 Census Internet Self-Response Instrument and questionnaire assistance will be available in 12 non-English languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese). Usted puede responder al Censo del 2020 en español: 2020census.gov/es.
The Rahway Public Library is partnered with the 2020 Census. Beginning March 28, look for ways the Rahway Library can help you complete your online Census form. If you or someone you know is homeless, do not have access to a computer or internet, or have questions about the online Census form, please check out the Library for possible 2020 Census online form assistance.
