Census Bureau Surveys Americans' Vibes on 2030 Decennial Count
Published Date: 8/20/2025
Notice
Summary
The Census Bureau is gearing up to collect new data from September through December 2025 to better understand how people feel about the upcoming 2030 Census and other important social and economic issues. This survey affects households nationwide and helps government and researchers make smart decisions quickly. Data collection starts mid-September, with no extra cost to participants, but your feedback is welcome to keep things running smoothly!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
You Get an Incentive for Responses
If you are selected as a household panelist for the HTOPS, all panelists will receive an incentive for each completed questionnaire. Invitations will be sent starting on or about September 16, 2025, October 21, 2025, and December 9, 2025.
Time Burden: 20 Minutes Per Survey
Each HTOPS response averages 0.333 hours (20 minutes). The Census Bureau plans 8,300 respondents per collection (99,600 annually) with burden hours listed as 2,754 per collection (33,167 annually); participation is voluntary.
Phone Response Option for Non-Internet Households
HTOPS invitations are mainly internet self-response (email and SMS), but respondents who do not use the internet may respond via computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). This preserves a non-internet response path for recruited households.
Panel Recruited From Master Address File; Data Linkage
HTOPS panelists were recruited from the Census Bureau's Master Address File, and the survey frame is available for linkage to administrative records securely maintained by the Census Bureau. Panelists will be periodically replenished and replaced after three years.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-20249, Notice of Data Sharing Activity
Starting October 2, 2026, the Census Bureau will share some business survey data with the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to help make U.S. economic stats more accurate and efficient. This affects businesses that voluntarily provide info in Census surveys, with no legal pressure to share. Only trusted BEA staff sworn to keep data secret will see the info, and there’s no cost impact for businesses.
2026-20155, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
The Census Bureau wants to keep collecting data for the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program, which helps track jobs and workers over time. They’re asking the public to comment by November 30, 2026, before they get final approval from the Office of Management and Budget. This keeps the data flowing without adding extra hassle or cost to businesses and workers.
2026-20167, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; DOC-Census Workforce Development Collection
The Census Bureau is asking for approval to collect info from 230 workforce training groups linked to Manufacturing USA and two grant programs. This new data will help track how well these training programs work by connecting participant info with Census data. The goal? To make smarter decisions about future workforce investments without adding too much extra work—each group spends just 1-2 hours a year on this.
2026-20153, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Quarterly Services Survey (QSS)
The U.S. Census Bureau wants to keep running the Quarterly Services Survey for three more years without changes. This survey asks certain U.S. service businesses for info to help track the economy. If you’re involved, you can comment by November 30, 2026, but there’s no new cost or extra paperwork planned.
2026-19301, Proposed Data Sharing Activity
The Census Bureau wants to share some business data with the Bureau of Economic Analysis to help improve economic reports. This change affects businesses whose data is collected and aims to make government info more useful without extra costs. People have until November 23, 2026, to share their thoughts on this plan.
2026-18481, Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions
The Census Bureau is proposing to add two new parts to the Code of Federal Regulations governing the decennial census of population and housing. First, the Census Bureau is proposing to add a part outlining the residence criteria used for identifying each person's "usual residence," as needed to determine whether and where to count them in the census of the population throughout the United States. Second, the Census Bureau is proposing to add a part establishing standards and restrictions for the inclusion of certain demographic questions on the decennial census short-form questionnaire and any other questionnaire used for the enumeration of the population. The Census Bureau is considering these two additions to better prioritize and fulfill its Constitutional mandate to count for apportionment the "whole number of persons in each State" based on the concept of "usual residence"--a process that factors in an element of allegiance but otherwise should be colorblind and should not be distorted in any way by questions about immaterial personal characteristics, such as race. Although these two parts are somewhat related and complementary, each is being proposed independently based on its own merits. These proposals are intended to ensure fidelity to the Constitution, improve and protect the core decennial census data, and promote efficiency.
Previous / Next Documents
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The Federal Housing Finance Agency wants your thoughts on keeping a form called 'Advances to Housing Associates' for three more years. This affects housing groups who use this info to get financial help. No big changes or costs are planned, but the current approval ends October 31, 2025, so your feedback matters now!