Proposed Federal Census Changes
The U.S. Census Bureau has proposed changes to the Federal Decennial Census and is accepting comments on their proposal until October 13.
Photo Credit: MAPC
The Census provides information that is critical to everything from plans for our future, resources in our community and how we are represented in Congress. The proposed changes would have significant implications for how residents are counted in our communities, how our municipalities plan and provide services, and how Massachusetts is represented in Congress. Based on the regulatory process the current comment window is the opportunity to offer feedback.
Questions?
Jessie Partridge Guerrero
[email protected]
Georgia Barlow
[email protected]
Leah Robins
[email protected]
How to Take Action
Municipal Leader Sign On Letter- Due October 23
MAPC invites you to join us in objecting to these proposed changes by signing onto this letter. If you are interested in adding your name, please complete THIS GOOGLE FORM before Friday, October 23.
Organization Sign On Letter- Due October 23
MAPC invites you to join us in objecting to these proposed changes by signing onto this letter. If you are interested in adding your name, please complete THIS GOOGLE FORM before Friday, October 23.
Individual Letters
MAPC invites you to use this letter as a template for your own submission on behalf of your municipality or yourself as an individual. Comment letters that describe your particular concerns are particularly important to the consideration of this rule.
Summary of Proposed Changes
- Exclude any non-U.S. citizens without a green card--including legally permitted international students, workers, and refugees--from the apportionment count that determines representation in Congress as well as much of the federal funding allocations to states;
- Add a citizenship question for the purpose of excluding non-citizens from the apportionment count;
- Change and make more convoluted the definition of "residency" from where a person lives most of the year to where they live most of the winter period of January through March (under this new definition, a “snowbird” who lives in Massachusetts but spends each winter in Florida would be counted in Florida);
- Remove all questions on race or ethnicity--for the first time in U.S. Census history, dating back to the first decennial census in 1790; and
- Ban current and future questions about sexual orientation.
Resources
Census notice is available here
MAPC Census Proposed Changes Explainer 2026
NPR article from Sept 10, 2026
Monday September 28th, 3-4pm
The 2030 Census Rule Change: What It Means for Counting Your Community,
Hosted by National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and ICMA
Wednesday September 30th at 1pm
S-CAN Rapid Response: 2030 Census Proposed Changes — How States and Local Groups Can Take Action,
Hosted by States Count Action Network (S-CAN)