The U.S. Census Bureau has released a proposed rule that would change some of the most consequential aspects of the decennial census: who gets counted, where they get counted and what questions get asked. These changes could affect the political representation your community gets, how much federal and state funding flows to it and the accuracy of the data many communities rely on for decisions about emergency management, transportation and infrastructure, economic development, education and more.
The 2030 Census is still years away, but the rules for how your residents will be counted are being written right now. Comments on the proposed changes are due Nov. 2nd, 2026.