U.S. Bureau of the Census

The U.S. Bureau of the Census is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Most [Page 935]commonly known for conducting the enumeration of the U.S. population every 10 years, the bureau conducts activities that extend well beyond the decennial census. The largest federal statistical agency, the Census Bureau serves as the premier source of federal data on the U.S. population and economy. The Census Bureau is responsible for numerous surveys, including full censuses and sample surveys. The resulting data are used regularly not only by U.S. government officials but also by local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and researchers in numerous disciplines.

Survey researchers in the United States are dependent on the accuracy of the decennial census and other Census Bureau surveys because they typically ...