'Does my buddy sleeping on the couch count?' and other census woes
When the new U.S. Census form arrives in the mail this week, there'll be a new question on it: Is there someone in your home who sometimes lives or stays somewhere else?
That's a more common scenario these days, given the number of foreclosure, divorces, timeshare properties and extended families moving in together.
"The foreclosure crisis and Katrina have posed new territory for us that we didn't see in 2000," explained Jim Accurso, spokesman for the Chicago Regional Census Center.
As a result, the questions about who lives in your home may be a little trickier to answer. We asked the U.S. Census Bureau to explain some common situations, and how to answer the census questions correctly. More information is available at 2010.census.gov.
Q: My ex and I have joint custody of our children. Which residence should they be listed at?A: They should be counted where they reside most of the time. If they're with one parent during the week, and another on the weekends, they should be counted with the weekday parent.Q: My children are away at college but still spend summers and school breaks at home. Do I count them?A: No. If they are away at school for most of the year, and only home during holidays and summer, they are considered residents of their college town and will be counted there.Q: We got a form at our vacation home in Wisconsin and another form at our home in the suburbs. Should we fill out both?A: Yes. Count yourself at the residence where you spend most of the year. At your vacation home, list the number of residents as "0" and mail it back.Q: My adult son is having financial problems and temporarily moved in with me a month ago. Should I count him as a resident of my home?A: It depends. If he's going to be there on April 1, with the intention that this is where he's going to reside most of the time, yes. But if it's really just temporary, he should be counted in his primary place of residence.Q: My son lives at home, but he is in the military and currently serving in Afghanistan. Should I count him?A: No. He'll be counted through the federal agencies, including the departments of State and Defense.Q: My mother-in-law lives with us but is staying at a nursing home after a recent hospitalization. Should I count her?A: No, unless she's there temporarily, recovering from her hospitalization. Then it's back to that "where she lives most of the time" rule.Q: What if my child is in boarding school? Do I count him as a resident?A: Yes. Boarding school students living away from their parental home, while attending boarding school below the college level, should be included on their parent's 2010 Census form.Q: I didn't get a form. What do I do?A: If you don't receive mail, or if for whatever reason you don't receive a census form, you can go to a "Be Counted" site and get a form. There'll be sites like this around the city and suburbs. The list of "Be Counted" and "Questionnaire Assistance" sites will be posted on 2010.census.gov the week of March 22. <p class="factboxheadblack">Census forms arriving</p><p class="News">Census form should arrive: Between Monday and Wednesday, March 15-17.</p><p class="News">Questions? Go to 2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php. Or call (866) 872-6868. Lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.</p><p class="News">Can the form be filled out online? No. They're working on an Internet version for the future, but this year it must be done manually.</p><p class="News">What if I don't answer it? Then a census worker will come to your door and attempt to obtain the information, beginning in April. </p>