The data gathered from the U.S. census is used for so much more than just counting the number of individuals in the United States. In this blog series we will be exploring 50 ways U.S. Census data is used and why you should care. Believe it or not, the results of the 2020 U.S. Census are going to affect nearly every part of your day to day life. Here's how:
Reasons 41-45: For this blog post we will be focusing on the ways U.S. Census data is used in the world of development. Here are ways 41-45 that data from the U.S. census is used and how it affects your world:
41. Development of rural areas: Using U.S. Census data, officials can track population size, density, and location. Using this information, they can decide how to develop rural areas. This can mean bringing businesses to an area that has grown enough to meet them, or sectioning areas for farmland, or even deciding which areas need to be protected and left undeveloped.
42. Planning urban land use: in urban areas land is in short supply. Officials use U.S. Census data to plan efficient urban land use. Using information gathered from U.S. Census data, developers can decide if the land needs to be used for housing, business, recreational facilities, health care centers, etc.
43. Evaluating programs in different geographic areas: U.S. Census data can show how programs preform in different geographical areas. For example, US census data can provide insight on how well an ESL course performed in NYC versus Dallas, or how available affordable housing is in rural areas versus urban.
44. Planning for school projects: Data from the U.S. Census can be used to plan for school projects. By using U.S. Census data to know and understand a school's population, officials can plan personalized projects designed to best benefit each school.
45. Analyzing military potential: Data from the U.S. Census can be used to analyze military potential. This can mean analyzing the population to estimate the amount of people expected to enter the military, but also analyzing the resources available for potential military use.
U.S. Census data helps decides how the world around you is developed. Rural and urban development is decided by the U.S. Census. Program evaluations, school project planning, and military potential analysis all rely on data from the U.S. Census. Help develop the world you want: complete the U.S. Census today at 2020Census.gov! Hurry before the 2020 U.S. Census ends on September 30th!