After concluding the count in October, the Census Bureau began processing the data. This includes:
- Finalizing all of the addresses that should be included in the census.
- Checking responses for duplicates to ensure that everyone is counted only once and in the right place.
- Coding and tabulating write-in responses.
- In rare instances, using a statistical method called imputation to account for missing data. This technique enables us to fill in missing information using what we already know about an address and its nearest, similar neighbor.
Protecting your responses is a critical part of this process.
We are now turning the data into anonymous statistics, ensuring that your personal information remains private—and that no one can be identified when the final data is released. To learn more about this process, visit How the Census Bureau Protects Your Data.