Early Planning Phase

Planning for the 2030 Census began in October 2018 with the Early Planning Phase. This phase builds the foundation for the 2030 Census. For 3 years, the Census Bureau examined the 2020 Census design to assess potential enhancements for the next decennial count.

Design Selection Phase

We are currently in the Design Selection Phase. This phase includes research, testing, and operational planning and design work to inform the selection of the initial 2030 Census operational design—the big picture plan for conducting the census. During this phase, the Census Bureau is doing a deep dive on 2020 Census Data Quality and we have begun dozens of research projects to address five areas that will enhance the science of census-taking. We expect to decide on the initial 2030 Census operational design in late 2024.

Final Planning Phase

The Final Planning Phase is scheduled to start in 2025. After the initial operational design is developed, the Census Bureau will continue to develop our detailed operational plans and conduct tests as needed to ensure the census produces quality, useful information for the nation. Additional details will be provided as these become available.

We will summarize and share the input we receive publicly. We will give your ideas careful consideration as we research, test, and plan the 2030 Census operational design.

We will continue working with federal statistical agencies and other stakeholders on topics such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, that could affect what the census asks about. Our country is becoming more diverse, and we want to ensure our statistics continue to capture that diversity.

We know many stakeholders have already begun—or will soon begin—their own planning for 2030 Census outreach. To help inform your work, we will continue to post updates about our planning and research on this page.