Once a decade, as required by the United States Constitution, the Census Bureau works to count every individual living in America. While this process can seem burdensome, it is critically important to every level of government, from federal and state agencies all the way down to your cities and school districts. With the rapid rate in which Williamson County has grown over the past decade, it is up to each one of us to ensure that our community receives the funding we deserve to continue providing services and opportunities throughout the county.

Williamson County receives federal funding based on the number of residents living in its boundaries. Current estimates place Williamson County at more than 394,000 people. That is a 57 percent increase from the 2000 Census and makes Williamson County the second fastest growing county in Texas. A complete count of each individual ensures that Williamson County will receive its available portion of $400 billion in federal funds that will be allocated to states and local governments. In fact, the Williamson County Census Committee Chair has estimated that our region’s population increase could bring in more than $2 million per year to the county for programs and infrastructure.

The Census questionnaire will be mailed to homes and apartments in March, and all answers are confidential and protected by law. The questionnaire contains just 10 questions that should take no more than 10 minutes for you to answer. By taking just 10 minutes to accurately fill out this form, you are doing your part to guarantee our local hospitals, schools, and governments have the necessary funding needed to keep pace with the enormous growth that is taking place in Williamson County.

Households that do not return the questionnaire by April 1st will have a Census worker visit their home in an attempt to get a complete count of our population. The Census workers should present identification to verify their role with the Census and then simply ask you the exact questions that are on the Census questionnaire so that your home is counted. While you are required by law to participate in the Census, I would strongly encourage you to actively support this project to ensure that you, your family and your community are accurately counted.

For more information on the 2010 Census, and to view a copy of the actual Census questionnaire, visit www.2010census.gov.