How to do the Census

The Census is for everyone

You can do the census online, by phone, or by mail. Most people received a letter from the Census Bureau with instructions on how to do the census online and over the phone. 

Do the Census.

The easiest way to do the census is online.

Do the Census online at my2020census.gov. 

The online census is available in 13 languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), English, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

The online Census form meets the latest web accessibility guidelines. An American Sign Language video available to help guide people through the online form. 

You can do the census over the phone, too.

Do the Census by phone by calling 844-330-2020.

The census is available in 13 languages by phone: 
 

• 844-330-2020    English                                    

• 844-468-2020    Spanish Español

• 844-398-2020    Cantonese 粵語

• 844-391-2020    Mandarin 普通話

• 844-461-2020    Vietnamese Tiếng Việt

• 844-392-2020    Korean 한국어

• 844-417-2020    Russian Русский

• 844-416-2020    Arabic العربية

• 844-478-2020    Tagalog

• 844-479-2020    Polish Polski

• 844-494-2020    French Français

• 844-477-2020    Haitian Creole Kreyòl Ayisyen

• 844-474-2020    Portuguese Português

• 844-460-2020    Japanese 日本語

People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call 844-467-2020 to complete the census by phone using Telephone Display Device (TDD).

Doing the census by mail

If you do not complete the census online or by phone, the Census Bureau might send you a paper form in the mail. These forms will arrive in mid-April and will be in English.

Doing the census in person

If you do not complete the census online, by phone or by mail, a Census Bureau worker may come to your door to help you. Census workers may come to your home in starting in mid-August 2020 if you have not started or completed your census.

When you can do the census

You can do the census online, by phone, or by mail at any point between mid-March and October 15, 2020.

If you don’t do the census on your own, a Census Bureau worker may come to your home to help you complete it in person. Census workers begin going door-to-door starting August 14, 2020. They will visit homes in the community through October 2020. 

You can do the census without a letter

Even if you don’t get a letter from the Census Bureau, you can and should do the census!  Anyone can do the census online or by phone from mid-March to October 15, 2020. No PIN or ID number is necessary to do the census.

Questions on the census

The Census asks nine questions. The questions are on the number of people are living in your household and their age, race, sex, and ethnicity. Anyone can answer online, by phone, or by mail.

Do the Census

Count yourself in today. Visit my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 to get started. 

Need help? Visit sfcounts.org for information in your language.