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JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The 2020 Census is officially underway in the United States and local agencies are taking time to share just how important being counted is for the community.

The state Census Office estimates that we stand to lose approximately $19,000 over a ten-year period for each resident that fails to be counted. That’s an average of $43,000 per each average household.

Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Emily Bivens says being counted is extremely important locally.

Bivens says information is private and will only be used to determine funding and such.

Residents need to be counted where they are a majority of the time or where they currently reside as of April 1st.

Bivens also added that the communities of Jamestown and Valley City have issued a challenge to one another to have the most self-counted in the census. You can read more about that challenge here.

In the 2010 Census, over one million people were not counted — perhaps they didn’t take the time, didn’t get the information, or weren’t even aware. At least 846 of those one million were in North Dakota. That’s $16 million in federal funds that should have been provided to North Dakota, but were not.

Visit 2020census.gov to get counted or for more information.

Listen to a full Let’s Talk About It with Emily Bivens below: