History

Governments FAQs

When is the census of governments conducted?

The U.S. Census Bureau has conducted a census of governments every 5 years, in years ending in "2" and "7" since 1957. This census, authorized by Title 13, U.S. Code, requires participation of all state and local governments in the United States, including counties, cities, townships, special districts, and school districts.

Censuses, like the census of governments, generate an enormous amount of important data. Here a Census employee
reviews boxes of census schedules that have been completed and returned to the Census Bureau's headquarters in the early 1940s.