Census 2020: Confidentiality

For official information about the 2020 Census, see the Census Bureau's website.

Below is a summary of information from the Census Bureau on the confidentiality of the 2020 Census*:

• 2020 Census data is confidential.* 
• Answers are only used to produce statistics.
• Census Bureau employees take an oath to protect personal information.
• Answers to Census questions cannot be used against you for law enforcement.
• Answers to Census questions cannot be used to determine eligibility for government benefits.

For information from the Census Bureau on confidentiality, see How the Census Bureau Protects Your Data and The 2020 Census and Confidentiality here or in the boxes below.

*Under the 72-Year Rule, Census data is released to the National Archives after 72 years from the Census date. For more information on this rule, see The 72-Year Rule.