Starting in mid-July of 2020, despite many delays due to Covid-19, census takers began interviewing households who had not yet responded online or via the mail to the U.S. 2020 Census. The federal census, required by the United States’ Constitution, happens once every 10 years and each time, there are new variations in enumeration (counting) techniques and what statistical data to collect. There are processes around “how” to count and then also “what” to count; the data collected needs to be useful for governance and allocation yet also respectful of privacy and remain fair and impartial for the entire U.S. population. In 2019 and 2020, hundreds of thousands of temporary workers from local communities were hired to go out into the field as census takers as well as staff offices and provide supervision. This 22nd federal census count began in January 2020 with remote portions of Alaska, where the territory was still frozen and traversable. These employed citizens are just one aspect of how the census is truly a community event. Let’s dive into the history of the U.S. Census and also learn why this count is so important.