Aurora launches its long-awaited special census

Residents in certain areas of Aurora will soon receive letters and postcards from the U.S. Census Bureau as part of a special census launched by the city.

The special census will be focused only on certain areas that have been recently developed, city officials have said. Officials are urging residents to participate in the special census, claiming that a perceived undercount in the 2020 census has led to the city losing over $4.3 million per year in shared tax revenue, according to a city press release announcing the launch of the special census.

“By attaining an accurate population count, we can receive a restoration of critical federal appropriations funding, plus better understand our residents and strategically plan for future growth,” Mayor John Laesch said in the release.

Residents living within the boundaries of the special census areas can follow the mailed instructions and submit census responses online through Aug. 24. After that, the U.S. Census Bureau plans to send field workers to gather responses from the households that did respond to the online census, according to the city release.

Aurora officials originally planned to launch the special census in early 2025 but delayed it in part due to feedback from local organizations that warned people against opening their doors or speaking to anyone working for the federal government, given fears over the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

City officials have previously stated that data collected through the special census is legally protected and is only for statistical use. There will not be a citizenship question, officials said.

The 2025 special census effort was also paused by the U.S. Census Bureau due to a change in federal leadership, officials said in the Tuesday release.

The city requested the census after officials felt that Aurora was undercounted in the 2020 decennial census and that new construction and development in the city was left out. The census that year reported that Aurora had lost around 17,000 residents compared to the 2010 census.

Aurora officials claim the undercount costs the city about $4.3 million each year in tax revenue, which affects day-to-day operations and services, according to the city statement.

While the city can’t recover lost funds from past years, officials have said the special census could help close that funding gap going forward by adding recently developed areas to the total population count.

Residents who live within the boundaries of the special census are set to receive two letters and two postcards that include instructions for completing the census online.

City officials have stressed that residents should not immediately throw away the letters, as they include a unique 12-digit code required to respond online.

The city plans to host events to help residents complete the census online at the Aurora Public Library District’s Santori Library downtown.

City staff also plan to be available at the library from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, July 30, and from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, with laptops and iPads to help residents fill out the 2026 special census. The city’s Community Engagement Division plans to conduct a door-knocking campaign within the special census tracts to keep residents informed and offer additional assistance on filling out the online self-response form, officials said.

For more information on the 2026 Aurora special census, along with an interactive tool to determine if a specific home falls within the special census boundaries, go to aurora.il.us/SpecialCensus.