SEPT. 9, 2020 — The 2020 Census operation to count people living in transitory locations is underway. The operation will count those living in housing such as RV parks, campgrounds, marinas, and temporary housing such as hotels and motels. The operation also counts people living at racetracks, carnivals and circuses, and will continue until Sept. 28.

The transitory population will be interviewed in person by one of more than 12,500 census takers who will be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) and trained to observe social distancing protocols.

Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date on the badge. They will ask respondents their name, age, date of birth, sex, race, who else lives with them, and whether there’s another place they stay or live most of the time. If families have a more permanent home elsewhere, the U.S. Census Bureau considers the place they spend most of their time to be their address.

This operation does not include people who are experiencing homelessness and/or live in makeshift tents or RV encampments where they do not pay to stay. That population is counted in a separate “Group Quarters” operation called Service-Based Enumeration, which is scheduled for Sept. 22-24. If a hotel is only used to shelter people who are experiencing homelessness, it will then fall under the definition of “group quarters.”

For more information, visit 2020census.gov or operational changes due to COVID-19.

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