It’s U.S. Census Time Once Again

Its time once again to fill out the U.S. Census form and cities and towns are reminding residents to do just that. 

As Census 2020 outreach efforts continue, the City of Pittsfield is advising residents that federal Census takers will be leaving a Notice of Visit form at city residences in which contact has not been established. The form notes the various options available to complete the Census.

These options include:

Going online at my2020census.gov

By phone at 1-844-330-2020

Via Telephone Display Device (TDD) at 1- 844-467-2020, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. 

For more information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 413-499-9361.

If you are thinking about not filling out your form this year, here is a list from Census.gov of five good reasons to take the time to fill it out.

Help Your Community Thrive - Does your neighborhood have a lot of traffic congestion, elderly people living alone or over crowded schools? Census numbers can help your community work out public improvement strategies.

Get Help in Times of Need - Many 911 emergency systems are based on maps developed for the last census. Census information helps health providers predict the spread of disease through communities with children or elderly people. When floods, tornadoes or earthquakes hit, the census tells rescuers how many people will need their help.

Make Government Work for You - It’s a good way to tell our leaders who we are and what we need. The numbers are used to help determine the distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal and state funds. We’re talking hospitals, highways, stadiums and school lunch programs.

Reduce Risk for American Business - Because census numbers help industry reduce financial risk and locate potential markets, businesses are able to produce the products you want.

Help Yourself and Your Family - Individual records are held confidential for 72 years, but you can request a certificate from past censuses that can be used as proof to establish your age, residence or relationship, information that could help you qualify for a pension, establish citizenship or obtain an inheritance. 

My take: 

It really doesn’t take very long to fill it out and the benefits of doing so are well worth the few minutes that you will spend.