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The U.S. Census Bureau has launched a national recruitment effort to hire approximately 500,000 temporary workers to help conduct the 2020 Census. Nearly 4,000 local recruiting events are scheduled to take place this week in communities across the nation.

“We need people to apply now so they can be considered for part-time census taker positions next spring,” said Timothy Olson, Census Bureau associate director for Field Operations. “Recent high school graduates, veterans, retirees, military spouses, seasonal workers and applicants who are bilingual are highly encouraged to apply. It’s important we hire people in every community in order to have a complete and accurate census.”

It also is important that every person in rural communities is counted. Census takers will be hired to work in their communities and go door to door to collect responses from those who do not respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail.

These positions offer competitive pay, flexible hours, paid training and weekly paychecks. Pay rates vary depending on where the job is located. The Census has a pay rate calculator online.

The selection process for census taker positions begins in January 2020, with paid training occurring in March and April. Actual enumeration of nonresponding households throughout the nation begins in May through early July. Visit the 2020 Census website for listings of available census taker and other jobs. 

About the Census

The 2020 Census officially starts counting people in January 2020 in remote Toksook Bay, Alaska. Most households in the nation will receive invitations in the mail to respond (online, by phone or by mail) in March 2020. The Census Bureau will begin advertising nationwide in January 2020 to increase awareness about the importance and benefits of participating in the 2020 Census.

The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census of the population be conducted once every 10 years. Census data are used to determine congressional representation in the states and how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed to states and local communities every year for critical public services and infrastructure, including health clinics, schools, roads and emergency services.

For more information on the 2020 Census, visit 2020census.gov.