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<title>About Us, what the U.S. Census Bureau does</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <meta name="DC.title" content="About Us, what the U.S. Census Bureau does"/> <meta name="DC.description" content="Information about activities of the US Census Bureau"/> <meta name="DC.creator" content="US Census Bureau, WSCS, SSD"/> <meta name="DC.date.created" scheme="ISO8601" content="2009-05-08"/> <meta name="DC.date.reviewed" scheme="ISO8601" content="2009-05-08"/> <meta name="DC.language" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC1766" content="EN-US"/> <meta name="author" content="US Census Bureau Laura K Yax, SSD"/>  <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20110817024922js_/http://www.census.gov/main/javascript/ruthsarian_utilities.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript">  </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20110817024922js_/http://www.census.gov/main/javascript/unlink.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" 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background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Subjects A to Z</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/main/www/srchtool.html" title="search at census" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Search@Census</span></a></div></div><div style="width:782px; height:1px; line-height:1px;"> </div></div><a name="SKIP_HDR" style="visibility:hidden; display:none;"></a></div>  <div id="masthead"> <h1>About Us</h1> </div>  <h6>You are here: <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/">Census.gov</a> › About Us</h6> <span style="height: 0; width: 0; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; font-size: 0;"><a href="#SKIP2" title="Skip Navigation">Skip top of page navigation</a></span> <div id="dropdown" class="clearfix rMenu-hor rMenu"> <ul id="middlemenu" class="clearfix rMenu-hor rMenu"> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/aboutus/">What We Do</a></li> <li><a href="who.html">Who We Are</a></li> <li><a href="policies.html">Policies & Notices</a></li> <li><a href="budget.html">Plans & Budget</a></li> <li><a href="contacts.html">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> var unlinker = new Unlinker('#dropdown ul > li', 'a', function(container) { $(container).addClass('selected'); //$(container).fadeTo(2000, 0.5, function() { $(container).removeClass('selected') }); }); unlinker.removeAllLinks(); </script> <noscript> This Javascript highlights what section of the main navigation you are on and unlinks its URL. </noscript> <a name="SKIP2"></a>   <div id="outer-column-container"> <div id="inner-column-container"> <div id="source-order-container"> <div id="left-column"> <div class="inside">  </div> </div>   <div id="middle-column"> <div class="inside">  <h2>What We Do</h2> <ul> <li><h4>Our Mission</h4> - To serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. <a href="mission.html" id="infoTarget1" class="infoTarget" title="Census Bureau Mission Statement">Full Mission Statement »</a></li> <li><h4>Our Authority</h4> - The United States Census Bureau operates under <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=BROWSE&title=13usc">Title 13</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=BROWSE&title=26usc">Title 26</a>, of the U.S. Code</li> <li><h4>Our Goal</h4> - To provide the best mix of timeliness, relevancy, quality, and cost for the data we collect and services we provide</li> <li><h4>What Data We Collect & When</h4> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/2010census/">Population & Housing Census</a> - every 10 years</li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/">Economic Census</a> - every 5 years</li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/govs/cog/">Census of Governments</a> - every 5 years</li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/acs/www/">American Community Survey</a> - annually</li> <li><a href="surveys.html">Our many surveys</a> -- both Demographic & Economic</li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/briefroom/BriefRm">Economic Indicators</a> - each indicator is released on a specific schedule, see the <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/epcd/econ/www/indijun.htm">Economic Indicator Calendar</a></li> </ul></li> <li><h4>How Our Data are Used</h4> <ul> <li>to determine the distribution of Congressional seats to states-- <ul> <li>mandated by the U.S. Constitution</li> <li>used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives</li> <li>used to define legislature districts, school district assignment areas and other important functional areas of government</li> </ul> <p> Find out about the <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/rdo/">2010 Census Redistricting Data Program</a>.</p></li> <li>to make decisions about what community services to provide <p> Changes in your community are crucial to many planning decisions, such as where to:</p> <ul> <li>provide services for the elderly</li> <li>where to build new roads and schools</li> <li>or where to locate job training centers</li> </ul></li> <li>to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year <p> Census data affects how funding is allocated to communities for:</p> <ul> <li>neighborhood improvements</li> <li>public health</li> <li>education</li> <li>transportation</li> <li>and much more</li> </ul></li> <li>to provide <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/agesearch.html">Age Search</a> information for: <ul> <li>Qualifying for Social Security and other retirement benefits</li> <li>Passport applications</li> <li>Proving relationship in settling estates</li> <li>Researching <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://www.archives.gov/">family history</a> or a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://www.archives.gov/">historical topic</a></li> </ul></li> </ul></li> <li><h4>Other Activities</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://www.calendarwiz.com/calendars/calendar.php?crd=cens1sample&PHPSESSID=9553c7f120a6a707543a52e3d15adc91&jsenabled=1">Census Event & Training Calendar</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/mso/www/npr/custinfo.html">Customer Information</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://ask.census.gov/">Respond to Requests</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/srd/www/fellweb.html">Fellowship Programs</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/">International Programs</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/srd/research.pdf">Research Opportunities at the Census Bureau</a> [PDF 531k]</li> </ul></li> </ul> <br clear="left"/>  <div class="clear-columns">  </div> </div>  </div>   </div>  <div id="right-column"> <div class="inside">  </div> </div>   </div> <div class="clear-columns">  </div> </div> <div class="pdf"> <span id="pdf"> [PDF] or <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/main/www/pdf.html"><img src="/web/20110817024922im_/http://www.census.gov/main/www/img/pdficon.gif" alt="PDF" width="17" height="17"/></a> denotes a file in Adobe’s <a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/main/www/pdf.html">Portable Document Format</a>. To view the file, you will need the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/">Adobe® Reader®</a> <img src="/web/20110817024922im_/http://www.census.gov/main/www/img/offsite.gif" width="15" height="12" alt="Off Site"/> available <span style="font-weight: bold;">free</span> from Adobe. </span> <span id="offsite"> This symbol <img src="/web/20110817024922im_/http://www.census.gov/main/www/img/offsite.gif" width="15" height="12" alt="Off Site"/> indicates a link to a non-government web site. Our linking to these sites does not constitute an endorsement of any products, services or the information found on them. Once you link to another site you are subject to the policies of the new site. </span> </div>    <div id="cb_footer"><div style="height:37px; min-width:782px; _width:expression((this.parentNode.offsetWidth>782)?'auto':'782px'); text-align:right; margin:0; padding:0; background:#036 url(/web/20110817024922im_/http://www.census.gov/main/www/m-img/cb_head_gradient.png) no-repeat top right; border-top:3px solid #09C;"><a href="#SKIP_FTR" title="Skip Footer" style="visibility:hidden; display:none;">Skip footer section</a><div style="display:inline;"><div style="padding:7px 0;"><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/privacy/" title="Privacy Policy" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Privacy Policy</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110817024922/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/" title="2010 Census" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">2010 Census</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/main/www/access.html" title="Data Tools" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Data Tools</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/quality/" title="Information Quality" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Information Quality</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/mp/www/cat/" title="Product Catalog" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Product Catalog</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/aboutus/contacts.html" title="Contact Us" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Contact Us</span></a><span style="width:1px; overflow:hidden; border-left:1px solid #E6EFF6;"> </span><a href="/web/20110817024922/http://www.census.gov/" title="Home" style="color:#FFF; background:none; font:bold 80% Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration:none; white-space:nowrap;"><span style="padding:10px 4px; margin:0px; text-align:center; background:none;">Home</span></a></div></div><a name="SKIP_FTR" style="visibility:hidden; display:none;"></a></div></div>  <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20110817024922js_/http://www.census.gov/fsrscripts/foresee-trigger.js"></script>    </div> <div id="reviseddate"> Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Systems Support Division | Last Revised: June 15, 2010 </div>   </body> </html>