Census to Test Postal Workers as Takers
The U.S. Census Bureau announced it will test using U.S. Postal Service carriers as census takers in at least two of six field‑test sites next year as part of preparations for the 2030 decennial census. The tests—described in a Federal Register notice—will take place in western Texas, tribal lands in Arizona, Colorado Springs (CO), western North Carolina, Spartanburg (SC) and Huntsville (AL) and aim to improve counts of undercounted populations and assess operational feasibility.
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Census Bureau to test using postal workers as census takers in 2030 field trials next year
New information:
- The Census Bureau plans practice counts in six sites: western Texas; tribal lands in Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; western North Carolina; Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Huntsville, Alabama.
- The agency expects almost 445,000 people to participate in the practice counts via online, phone, mail or in‑person interviews.
- The Federal Register notice will test and assess whether postal carriers can knock on doors and collect household information for the 2030 census; the article notes a 2011 GAO finding that previously flagged big cost and pay‑rate differences ($41/hr USPS vs $15/hr temporary census takers).