JAN. 22, 2026 — The U.S. Census Bureau today released the 2024 Planning Database (PDB), which includes the Low Response Score (LRS) and other new 2020 Census operational data.

The 2024 PDB contains a selection of housing, demographic, socioeconomic and operational data for block groups and census tracts from the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File, 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File, and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

The PDB was developed to aid survey and census planning but has a variety of uses. Among them:

• Identifying geographic areas for special outreach.
• Examining expected survey completion rates at different levels of geography.
• Linking the PDB and map data to create thematic maps.
• Generating reports, cross tabulations and simple analyses.
• Planning interviewer-administered surveys and censuses.

The LRS predicts the rate of response to censuses and surveys for a specific geographic area. It uses new important predictors of low response, including contact strategy (e.g., internet first or internet choice), which also are new variables available on the 2024 PDB.

The interactive tool Response Outreach Area Mapper (ROAM) will be updated with the new LRS and other important PDB variables.

Questions or comments? Contact [email protected].

No news release associated with this product. Tip sheet only.

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