Aerial view of houses.

Key Milestones for 2020 Census

Schedule Adjustments for U.S. 2020 Census


Notes: Enumeration of people who are homeless will take place at service locations (shelters, soup kitchens, mobile food vans) and unsheltered outdoor locations. Changes in the dates for apportionment counts to the president and redistricting data to states require congressional approval.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, “2020 Census Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19,” as of June 9, 2020, https://2020census.gov/en/news-events/operational-adjustments-covid-19.html?#.

2021 and Beyond

Census Bureau transmits redistricting files to states in 2021.

Redistricting files contain housing unit counts and population data by race/ethnicity, voting age, and gender.

NEW: Redistricting files will contain group quarters data.

Other products releases, dates TBD (ongoing through 2022).

2020

Advertising begins in January.

Data collection begins (March 2020).

Census Day: April 1, 2020.

First Data Release (originally planned): December 31, 2020 (state totals reported). Important note: This date could change.

2019

Field offices begin to open.

Evaluation of End-to-End Test.

Defect Resolution and Performance Testing.

Formation of Complete Count Committees.

Early Education Phase of Communications Program begins.

Address Canvassing is completed.

2018

Question wording sent to Congress by March 31.

End-to-End Census Test and Nonresponse Follow-up completed (April 1 is Census Day).

Partnership program begins.

2017

Report to Congress on Subjects Planned for 2020 Census.

Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) begins.

Address Canvassing begins for 2018 end-to-end test.

Residency Rules announced.

Pre-2017

Launch 2020 Census website.

Release 2020 Census Operational Plan.

Conduct testing.