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
2026-18176, Current Mandatory Business Surveys
The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) will conduct the following current three mandatory business surveys in 2026: (1) Annual Integrated Economic Survey; (2) Annual Business Survey; and (3) Business and Professional Classification Report. We have determined that data collected from these surveys are needed to aid the efficient performance of essential governmental functions and have significant application to the needs of the public and industry. The data derived from these surveys, most of which have been conducted for many years, are not publicly available from nongovernmental or other governmental sources.
2026-14512, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions
The Census Bureau wants to keep running its Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions for three more years and is asking the public to share their thoughts by September 18, 2026. This survey helps track new home building and sales, affecting builders, buyers, and policymakers. No big changes or costs are planned, just a smooth continuation to keep housing data fresh and useful.
2026-14513, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories and Orders (M3) Survey
The Census Bureau wants to keep collecting monthly info from U.S. manufacturers about their shipments, inventories, and orders through the M3 survey. They’re asking the public to share thoughts by September 18, 2026, before they get final approval. This helps keep the data flowing without adding extra hassle or cost to businesses.
2026-14554, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Internet Panel Pretesting and Qualitative Survey Methods Testing
The Census Bureau wants to keep testing online surveys and internet panels to make sure their questions work well and don’t waste your time. They’re asking for your thoughts by September 18, 2026, before getting final approval. This helps keep surveys smart, quick, and less annoying for everyone involved, with no extra cost or big time changes.
2026-13801, Age Search Fee Structure
Starting August 7, 2026, the Census Bureau is raising the Age Search fee from $65 to $155 and the rush fee from $20 to $50. This service helps people get official proof of their age from old census records, especially if they don’t have a birth certificate. These changes cover the real costs of processing requests, which haven’t been updated since 2004.
2026-11886, 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 wants your thoughts on a new survey about workforce training programs run by the Department of Commerce. This survey will help improve how they track and support people in these programs, with no cost to participants. You’ve got until August 11, 2026, to share your feedback before the survey gets the green light from the Office of Management and Budget.
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