Beginning on Oct. 21, 2019, the United States Census Bureau will start hiring census takers for the upcoming 2020 United States Census, with hiring events taking place throughout the city of San Diego and the greater San Diego County area. The bureau plans to employ 500,000 people nationwide to accomplish the task of counting the entire population of the United States.

The U.S. Census Bureau is currently looking for individuals who are at least 18 years old, are U.S. citizens, have valid Social Security cards and email addresses, can pass criminal background checks, and are registered with the Selective Service System if applicable. Those hired will be paid at a competitive rate of $20.50 an hour.

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The United States Census has been conducted every ten years since 1790 in order to determine the distribution of congressional seats and federal funding to states and localities. The Census remains the largest and most complete survey in the United States, with only seven questions being asked — none of which involve citizenship.

According to a study by the George Washington University, the results of the 2010 United States Census led to California being allocated $115,133,486,972 through 55 different federal spending programs. The results of the 2020 Census will be used to allocate over $675 billion to states and localities.

David Bennett, a San Diego media specialist from the U.S. Census Bureau, spoke to the UCSD Guardian on the importance of the census in determining the allocation of federal funds.

“The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds and grants to support states, counties, and communities are based on census data,” Bennett said. “That money supports vital programs for all students’ education now, employment in the future, and potentially their future families.”

The census taker position involves the hands-on process of counting every person living in the United States. These jobs are hired locally to allow for census takers to count in the communities they already call home.

Census takers will begin training in March 2020, with the groundwork taking place between mid-March and the beginning of July. Those working in San Diego will help the Los Angeles Regional Office count everyone in the city and surrounding suburbs, including students living on campus at UC San Diego.

“This is a civic duty written into the Constitution, and it’s a way to say, ‘I count,’” Bennett said. “By helping others participate, it’s letting them know they count too.”

The application for applying to be a census taker is currently live on 2020census.gov, and is available through the end of January 2020.