Natural Disasters, Climate Change and the 2020 Census

It takes years of planning and many experts to design our nation’s Decennial Census. Leaders from multiple sectors, convened by the US Census Bureau, provide guidance on how to craft a survey that will deliver a complete count of our entire population. This process requires Task Forces on technology, messaging, undercounted communities and even preparedness for natural disasters. In 2020, those disasters, from hurricanes to wildfires and an unprecedented, deadly and mismanaged pandemic, devastated the very communities the census seeks to count. Dr. Allison Plyer, Chief Demographer at the Data Center, discusses natural disasters, climate change, roadblocks to economic recovery and insights for a better plan in 2030.