As we near the 2020 Census deadline, hard-to-count communities are at an even higher risk of being undercounted than originally predicted. The month-early count deadline, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, makes it challenging for enumerators to reach these households and ensure as many as possible are included.
These populations—including low-income households, racial and ethnic non-white populations, immigrants, non-English speakers, and those experiencing homelessness—historically have been miscounted, and if they “are not represented with their full and accurate count, that means their funding will be diminished as well,” principal research associate Diana Elliott tells the Washington Post.
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, especially within non-white populations, an accurate count is essential to ensuring they get the federal resources they need.
Urban Institute researchers have produced a data-driven collection explaining the importance of the decennial census and what’s at stake for hard-to-count communities. A fair and accurate census is critical to understanding the demographic makeup of our country because when undercounts happen, political representation and fair resource allocation are put at risk.
The 2020 Census faces unprecedented challenges, including the introduction of an online option and a nationwide pandemic. Urban Institute researchers break down the basics: what the census is, why it matters, and what’s at stake.
The pandemic’s disparate effects on historically undercounted communities of color highlight the urgency of accurate census counting and equitable funding allocations. Our racially and ethnically conscious tool tracks the pandemic’s effects on people’s health, housing, and livelihoods. Updated weekly, the tool now has seven new measures.
