Maryland's undercount in the 2010 census resulted in Maryland losing almost $1 billion in federal funding
for critical programs like Medicare. Census data, including income levels, household size, and homeownership, is used to help businesses in Maryland understand their potential customer base, helps select an ideal location, and assists with strategies like consumer pricing.
In Maryland, we are asking businesses to encourage their employees, customers, and communities to fill out their census forms to ensure an accurate count of all people in Maryland for the 2020 Census. An accurate count is crucial for Maryland to obtain the maximum amount of federal assistance for numerous programs and resources in communities across the state.
Census Tools to Assist Your Business
The U.S. Census Bureau provides an online tool to help you determine the best location for your small business called the Census Business Builder: Small Business Edition. This tool provides information depending on the type of business and the desired location and can generate reports that include potential customers, business summary, building permits, and consumer spending.
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that the U.S. Census Bureau conducts to generate data that will help determine how more than $675 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year. The ACS helps businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities and is the premier source for detailed population and housing information about our nation.
The economic Census also known as the "Business" Census is conducted every five years and serves as the foundation for the measurement of U.S. businesses and their economic impact.
The Maryland State Data Center (SDC), housed in the Maryland Department of Planning, is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as the repository and service center for census data pertaining to Maryland. SDC monitors
development trends, analyzes social, economic and other characteristics and prepares population, housing, employment, labor force, and income projections.
