WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- The 2020 Census is fast approaching and local communities are looking to get an accurate count of current residents.
If you are living in the state of Missouri, it is important that you accurately count yourself and your household, so federal funds can be appropriately allocated for education, housing, health care, emergency services and more.
It is common for military service members to live in a different state than their official state of legal residency. This may affect your state taxes, however it doesn’t affect how you are counted in the Census. If you live in Missouri, you are counted in Missouri.
The Census gives members of Team Whiteman the opportunity to make a difference in their city and state, said Sedalia Major John Kehde.
“Whiteman Air Force Base is a cornerstone of our city," Kehde said. "Having United States Air Force residents makes our community richer and dynamic. The 2020 Census will affect our daily lives in a growing Sedalia. An accurate count is extremely important to help our efforts and plans to provide every citizen better jobs, education, roads, health care and opportunities.”
His sentiment was echoed by Greg Hall, chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater Warrensburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Data from the census influences billions of dollars of funding that flow into our communities to help fund projects ranging from educational programs for children and adults to infrastructure improvements," Hall said. "Accurate information is critical for economic and statistical reports that provide data on labor supply and help attract new businesses.”
Please be advised, as an active-duty service member, you may face special circumstances.
- If you are living in on base housing on April 1, 2020, you will respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail, just like those who live off base.
- If you are living in a base dormitory on April 1, 2020, speak with your building representative to see if they are counting you or if you need to fill out the Census yourself.
If you have questions regarding your Census response, please visit the Census website and ensure you are responding appropriately.
“Missouri is our home; we need to be good stewards of our local communities and that means doing our civic duty and responding to the federal census," said Col. Jeffrey Schreiner, 509th Bomb Wing commander. "Proper responses equate to more local resources for all sorts of programs to include schools and emergency services.”
Each household will receive their Census invitation in the mail starting mid-March. You can also fill it out online. Census Day is on April 1, 2020, however each household has until the end of April to report numbers. If you do not respond within that time, you will receive an in-person follow up from a Census worker between May and July.
Still curious to know what happens with your Census data? Check out 50 ways Census data benefits Americans.