Census population estimates have a big impact on North Carolina’s federal funding for programs serving young children and families. Billions of dollars are at stake for federal family support programs such as child care subsidies, foster care, CHIP, SNAP and many others. Every family missed in the census results in a loss for North Carolina.
Young children have been largely undercounted in the past. Our youngest citizens are overrepresented in populations considered “hard-to-count,” including low-income households, families who rent their home, and racial and ethnic minorities. It’s critical that we reach their families to ensure that Census 2020 accurately reflects North Carolina’s needs.
Key Things to Know:
- 73,000 children are part of “hard-to-count” groups.
- North Carolina failed to count 25,000 young children in 2010, which was the 8th highest undercount in the country.
- Undercounting young children will jeopardize $5 billion in federal funding for programs serving children and families.