The Census Bureau plans to build on the experiences of the 2020 Census and identify further, potential operational updates to develop the 2030 Census design. Planning for the 2030 Census is now underway and includes conducting research and testing to inform the selection of the 2030 Census operational design.
This design will have to address multiple factors, including a constrained fiscal environment, rapidly changing use of technology, distrust in government, declining response rates, an increasingly diverse population, informal, complex living arrangements, and a mobile population.
To meet this goal, we are focused on five areas of research – which we call Enhancement Areas- to help us build our operational design: data collection, group quarters enumeration, integrating data collection and processing in real time, streamlining operational infrastructure, and continuous data collection and aggregation.
In this video, you will learn more about each of these Enhancement Areas as well as our preliminary timeline for planning the 2030 Census.
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Watch the video below for additional insights into the innovations being tested.
The 2026 Census Test will be the first of two major on-the-ground tests conducted in preparation for the 2030 Census.
All major tests require logistical commitment, such as dedicated office space and staff, that helps the Census Bureau evaluate how well the innovations they are planning will perform.
The Bureau will conduct the test in six sites and also include a nationally representative self-response testing component.
As we all prepare for the 2030 Census, conducting testing like the 2026 Census Test gives the Bureau the opportunity to explore innovative technologies and methodologies to enhance their work to conduct a complete and accurate count of the nation.
The 2026 Census Test will be conducted in six sites. These sites provide optimal opportunities to implement all the changes and enhancements planned for the test, under real conditions, and on a larger scale than research simulations allow.
Together, these sites will enable for testing the improvements being designed in efforts to get a complete count of hard-to-count and historically undercounted populations.
The 2026 Census Test will study changes in six operational areas:
Self-Response
In-Field Enumeration
Group Quarters Enumeration
Communications, Partnerships, and Engagement
Cross Operational Support and Infrastructure
Near Real-Time Response Processing
These operational areas are being studied to ensure the operational viability of the new and enhanced processes and methods proposed for the 2030 Census.
Four of the six operational areas in our 2026 Census Test have proposed changes designed to directly or indirectly help enumerate hard-to-count and historically undercounted populations. The testing site locations would also enable implementation and evaluation of the planned improvements.
New and improved ways to build trust and increase participation will be explored as part of the focus on accurately enumerating these populations during the next census.
United States Census Bureau (census.gov)