As forms for the 2010 U.S. Census arrive in households across the nation this week, a new Pew Research Center survey finds nearly universal awareness of the census, with 94% of Americans saying they have heard of the census and 79% having heard something recently about it. Nearly nine-in-ten Americans (87%) now say they definitely or probably will fill out and return their forms, or have already done so. This represents a six-point increase in likely participation since January.

But the likelihood of participation remains much higher for some groups than for others. In particular, young people and those with lower levels of income and education remain significantly less likely than others to say they will take part. Slightly higher numbers of Republicans (90%) than Democrats and independents (85% each) say they intend to participate, but more Democrats than Republicans or independents think the census is very important for the country (76% among Democrats, 61% among Republicans and independents).

The new national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press was conducted March 10-14 among 1,500 adults reached on cell phones and landlines. This is the second in a series of studies about the public’s knowledge of and attitudes toward the 2010 U.S. Census.

Most of those surveyed say they believe that their participation in the census will benefit their community; 62% say this, while about a third say filling out their form will either have no effect on (29%) or will harm (3%) their community. In contrast, fewer people see a personal benefit (33%) from filling out their census form, though that is up six percentage points since January. Very few think that participating in the census will personally harm them (5%); most (57%) say their participation will neither benefit nor harm them personally.

Democrats are significantly more likely than Republicans or independents to believe that the census will benefit them and their communities. Among Democrats, 41% say the census will personally benefit them; this compares with 28% of Republicans and 29% of independents. Similarly, 68% of Democrats think the census will benefit their community, compared with 59% of Republicans and 60% of independents. Among demographic groups, women are more likely than men to see benefits both to themselves and to their communities, and more African Americans than whites or Hispanics perceive likely benefits from the census.

Republicans are less convinced than Democrats that filling out the forms helps their community. In addition, nearly one-in-five Republicans (18%) believe that the census results benefit the Democratic Party more than the Republican Party. By comparison, just 5% of Democrats say the census will benefit the GOP more than the Democratic Party.

Yet there are no signs that Republicans are more resistant to taking part in the count. Republicans are at least as likely as Democrats to say they definitely or probably will mail in their forms. And when other demographic characteristics are taken into account, there is no partisan difference in intention to participate.

Growing Share Will “Definitely” Complete Forms

A large majority of Americans say they will participate in the census – 70% say they definitely will participate or have already completed and mailed in their census form and 17% say they probably will participate. Far fewer say they might or might not participate (5%) or that they definitely or probably will not participate (7%).

Moreover, a quarter of those who express at least some uncertainty about their own participation in the census say that someone else in their household definitely or probably will participate. Including these in the total would mean that 90% say they themselves or someone else in their household definitely or probably will participate in the census.

The proportion of Americans who say they definitely will participate has increased 12 points since early January, from 58% to 70%, with the increase occurring among nearly all demographic groups. Still, young people remain far less likely than older Americans to say they definitely will take part in the census. Fewer than half (45%) of those younger than 30 say they definitely will participate, compared with 70% of those 30 to 49 and 84% of those 50 and older.

Since January, there has been a sharp rise in the proportion of women who say they will definitely participate in the census (from 60% to 76%). The increase among men has been more modest (from 56% to 65%).

In addition, while Hispanics lagged far behind white non-Hispanics and black non-Hispanics in their commitment to take part in the census, that gap has narrowed since January. Currently, 65% of Hispanics say they will definitely participate, up from 47% in January. That compares with 73% of whites (up from 61%) and 67% of blacks (up slightly from 57%).

Education and income continue to be related to likely participation. More than eight-in-ten (82%) college graduates say they definitely will send in their forms, compared with 61% of those who have not attended college. Similarly, 81% of people in households with incomes of $75,000 or more say they definitely will participate compared with 65% with incomes below $30,000.

The partisan gap in commitment to participate in the census, evident in January, has disappeared in the new survey. Currently, 74% of Republicans, 72% of Democrats and 67% of independents say they definitely will participate in the census. In January, 67% of Democrats and smaller majorities of Republicans and independents (54% each) said they would definitely take part in the census.

Views of the Process and the Census’ Impact

The survey gauged a wide range of attitudes and perceptions about the census and finds that the public holds generally favorable views about the decennial process. About two-thirds (66%) say that the census is very important for the United States, and another 23% say it’s somewhat important. Just 7% say it is not too important or not important at all. A majority of people in every demographic group say the census is very important for the country (see detailed table in the appendix).

An even larger majority of the public (79%) believes that participation in the census is a civic duty, and similar numbers do not expect that completing the forms will take too much time (83%). A smaller majority of 55% do not think that the census is costing the government too much money, while 30% say it is costing too much.

Most people say they think the Census Bureau will keep personal information confidential (61%), though somewhat fewer (45%) say the government is asking only the personal information it really needs. Just over a quarter (27%) say the government is asking for too much personal information, and a roughly equal share says they do not know whether the forms ask for too much personal information (28%).

Although there have been partisan controversies about the census in the past, most of public (73%) does not perceive the census as benefiting one political party more than the other. One-in-ten Americans (10%) say the census benefits the Democratic Party more, while 4% say it benefits the Republican Party more. Nearly one-fifth of Republicans (18%) think the census will help the Democratic Party more than the Republican Party, but only 5% of Democrats think it will disproportionately benefit the Republicans.

Republicans are also much more likely than Democrats to say that conducting the census will cost too much (37% vs. 23% of Democrats). And Republicans
are slightly less persuaded that personal information will be kept confidential (56% vs. 64% of both Democrats and independents).

Nearly equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats and independents expect that completing the census form will not take too much time, and about eight-in-ten among each group believes that participating in the census is a civic responsibility.

Most Americans (61%) know that the census is not used to determine whether someone is in this country legally; 21% erroneously believe that it is used for this purpose, while a similar number (19%) do not know. Hispanic respondents in the survey are not more likely than others to believe that the census is used to locate undocumented immigrants; 21% say that it is used for this, while 69% say it is not.

On another knowledge question, 54% correctly said that the census is used to decide how many representatives each state will have in Congress. This represents a decline of 10 points from the number able to answer this question in January.

Census and Civic Responsibility

Young people, who are far less likely than older Americans to say they will definitely participate in the census, also are less likely to say that participating in the census is a civic responsibility.

Nearly two-thirds (66%) of those younger than 30 say that participating in the census is a civic responsibility. That compares with 79% of those 30 to 49 and even higher percentages of older age groups. Blacks, Hispanics and less educated people also are somewhat less likely than other groups to see participation in the census as a civic responsibility.

As the federal government gears up for its decennial count of the country’s population, most Americans think the census is very important and say they will definitely participate. But acceptance of and enthusiasm for the census are not universal. Certain segments of the population such as younger people, Hispanics and the less well educated are not as familiar with the census and are less inclined to participate. In addition, there are partisan differences in opinions about the value of the census, and in personal willingness to participate.

The national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press was conducted Jan. 6-10 among 1,504 adults reached on cell phones and landlines. This is the first in a series of studies about the public’s knowledge of and attitudes toward the 2010 U.S. Census.

The survey finds that nine-in-ten Americans describe the census as either very (60%) or somewhat (30%) important for the country, and about eight-in-ten say they will either definitely (58%) or probably (23%) participate. But 8% describe the census as unimportant for the country, and twice that number says that they either “might or might not” participate (10%) or definitely or probably will not (6%). The share saying they may not participate is particularly high among younger Americans, as well as those in lower socio-economic categories.

Most Americans are at least somewhat familiar with the census: 84% have heard of “the United States Census” without any description, and another 8% recognize it when it is described as the count of all people who live in the United States. Awareness of the census is a critical factor in views about participation. Among the 16% who say they either will not or may not participate in the census, 39% have not heard of the census in the first place. More broadly, the poll finds that a lack of familiarity with the census and its goals is a far more important factor driving intention to participate than are concerns about privacy or political considerations.

Most Americans are aware that the census is used to decide how many representatives each state will have in Congress (64%) and how much money communities will get from the government (59%). About two-thirds (68%) correctly say that the census is not used to locate illegal immigrants so they can be arrested, though 11% incorrectly believe that it is used for this purpose. However, only 31% of Americans are aware that participation in the census is required by law. Nearly half (46%) believe that it is not required, and 23% say they don’t know.

Awareness of the Census

Unfamiliarity with the census is most widespread among younger and Hispanic Americans. Roughly a third of each (31% of 18-29 year olds, 33% of Hispanics) say they have not heard of the U.S. Census, and 17% of each group say they are still unfamiliar with it even when it is described as the count of all people living in the country.

Recognition of the census increases with age – 85% of those 30 to 49 have heard of the U.S. Census, as have 92% of those 50 to 64 and 91% of people age 65 and older. More than three-quarters of African Americans (78%) and 88% of whites have heard of the U.S. Census.

Familiarity is also closely linked to education and income. One-in-four Americans (25%) with no more than a high school degree have not heard of the U.S. Census, and 13% still do not recognize it after it is described. The proportions are identical among people with household incomes under $30,000. By contrast, 97% of college graduates recognize the U.S. Census, as do 96% of people with family incomes of $75,000 or more.

While Republicans are less committed to participating in the census and rate it as less important than do Democrats, this is not out of a lack of familiarity with it. Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats (89% vs. 83%) to have heard of the U.S. Census.

When asked whether they had seen or heard anything about the census within the last month or so, fewer than half (44%) say they have. There are some demographic differences, similar to those in overall awareness of the census. Younger Americans, those with lower educational attainment and those with lower family incomes are less likely than others to have seen or heard anything recently.

Most Say Census is Important for the Country

Sixty percent of Americans say the census is very important for the nation, 30% describe it as somewhat important, with 8% saying either it is not too (5%) or not at all (3%) important.

Younger Americans, who are less likely to have heard of the census, are also the least convinced of its importance. Fewer than half (45%) of those younger than 30 say the census is very important for the country, compared with nearly two-thirds (64%) of those age 30 and older. But young people do not discount the census entirely – just 10% say it is not important. Instead, young people are more likely than older Americans to describe the census as “somewhat” important.

There is a significant partisan gap in ratings of the importance of the census. While 71% of Democrats say the count is very important, just 56% of Republicans agree. Instead, Republicans are more likely to rate it as somewhat important (36% vs. 24% of Democrats); few in either party (5% of Republicans, 4% of Democrats) say it is not important. Independents are about as likely as Republicans to rate the census as very important for the country (54%). One-in-ten (10%) independents say it is not important.

There is little difference of opinion about the importance of the census along educational or income lines: Roughly equal numbers of higher and lower income Americans, as well as those with more and less education, rate the census as very important for the country.

But perceptions of the importance of the census do vary by race and ethnicity. More than seven-in-ten African-American (74%) and Hispanic (72%) respondents rate the census as very important for the country. Far fewer whites (57%) agree.

Correlates of Intention to Participate

As with ratings of the importance of the census, age is the strongest correlate of participation. Just 36% of Americans younger than 30 say they will definitely participate. That is equal to the 36% who say they either might or might not take part (22%), or probably or definitely will not participate (14%). One factor may be that some young people still living with parents or relatives may not be required to fill out a form personally.

While Hispanics are more likely than whites to rate the census as very important for the country, they are less certain about whether they will participate. Just under half (47%) of Hispanics say they definitely will fill out and mail the forms, compared with 57% of blacks and 61% of whites.

Education and income are also powerful correlates. Roughly three-quarters (73%) of college graduates say they definitely will send in their forms, compared with about half (49%) of those who have not attended college. The divide is equally large between people in households with incomes of $75,000 or more and those with incomes below $30,000; 75% of the former say they will definitely send in their forms compared with 50% of the latter.

There is also a clear political divide in expected participation: Two-thirds (67%) of Democrats say they will definitely mail in their forms, compared with 54% of both Republicans and independents.

What Drives Nonparticipation

For the most part, people who lean against participating in the census do so based on practical, not principled, considerations. The main reasons people offer for not taking part in the census have more to do with their lack of personal interest and awareness of the process than with privacy or political concerns.

When the small minority (6%) of Americans who say they definitely or probably will not participate in the census are asked why, most say it is mainly because they will be too busy or aren’t interested or because they don’t know much about the census or haven’t participated in it before. Far fewer cite concerns about the government or the census or say they worry about their personal privacy. Based on the overall population, these kinds of privacy or political concerns are raised by only about 2% of Americans.

A lack of awareness of the census is clearly an important factor in participation. Nationwide, 16% of Americans say they have not heard of the U.S. Census, and expected participation within this subgroup is particularly low. While 65% of Americans who have heard of the census say they will definitely take part, just 25% of those who have not heard of it say the same. Instead, many who have not heard of the census say they might or might not (25%) or definitely or probably will not (17%) take part.

In other words, 39% of Americans who say that they will not or might not participate have not heard of the U.S. Census. And even when reminded that the census is a count of all the people who live in the United States, 26% still had not heard of it. By contrast, just 10% of people who said they would definitely or probably participate did not recognize the census when first mentioned, and that falls to 4% when the census is described.

A multivariate analysis was used to better understand which factors matter most in predicting participation in the census. By far, age was the most important predictor of intention to participate, all other things being equal. But party affiliation, education and income also were significant predictors in the analysis. Race, ethnicity and gender were not significantly related to intended participation in the census, after controlling for other demographic characteristics.

Younger Americans are less likely than older people to say they definitely will participate, even when controlling for other demographic characteristics. For those younger than 30, the probability of saying they will definitely fill out the census form is .40, compared with a probability of .75 for those 50 and older when all other variables are held constant at their mean. There also is a partisan divide in intention to participate; all other things being equal, the probability of Democrats saying they definitely will participate is .75 while the probability for Republicans is .56.

Those with lower educational attainment and lower family incomes also are less likely to say they definitely will complete the census form. The probability of definitely participating for those with a high school education or less is .56 compared with a probability of .74 for those with a college degree. Similarly, the probability of saying they definitely will participate is .61 for those with family incomes of less than $30,000 while those with incomes of $75,000 or more have a probability of .77, when all other variables are held constant at their means.

Most Unaware that Census Participation is Required

When asked about what the census is used for, a majority of the public knows that the census is used to decide how many representatives each state will have in Congress (64%), but 20% say it is not used for this and 17% are unsure. Similarly, 59% say the census is used to decide how much money communities will get from the government, while the rest say it is not used for this purpose (21%) or that they are unsure (20%).

Awareness of how census information is used divides along age and educational lines. Younger Americans are less likely than older Americans to know that the census is used to decide the number of congressional representatives and how much money communities will receive from the government. Similarly, those with a high school education or less are less likely than those with some college education to know the census is used for these purposes. Knowledge about whether the census is used to decide the number of representatives each state has in Congress also varies across partisan lines; Republicans (71%) are more likely than Democrats (61%) and independents (64%) to know the census is used for this.

About two-thirds (68%) of the public correctly says that the census is not used to locate illegal immigrants so they can be arrested, but 11% incorrectly believe that it is used for this purpose and 20% are unsure. Hispanics (12%) are no more likely than non-Hispanic whites (10%) or non-Hispanic blacks (18%) to say incorrectly that the census is used to locate illegal immigrants. Similar to the other knowledge questions, there also differences by age and education.

Nearly half (46%) of Americans incorrectly believe that participation in the census is not required by law; only 31% correctly say that their participation is required and 23% don’t know. Only 15% of those younger than 30 think that participation is required, compared with 27% of those ages 30 to 49 and 41% of those 50 and older. College graduates are more likely than those with less education to know that filling out the census is required.

Knowledge about the census also has a direct effect on the likelihood of participation. Those who correctly know what the census is and is not used for, as well as those who know it is required by law, are much more likely to say they will definitely participate, even after controlling for demographic characteristics.

Dramatic increases in both the size and ethnic diversity of America’s population, reflected in the 2000 census, are drawing a mixed reaction from the public. Consistent with a long-term rise in favorable attitudes toward immigrants, more people say today’s immigrants are better able to adapt to American life than did so four years ago. Yet the public is concerned over the surge in the nation’s population in the past decade. Half view that negatively, compared to 32% who see it as a good thing. And more whites than blacks or Hispanics raise concerns about the changing demographic composition of the country.

The Pew Research Center’s latest survey shows that, to perhaps a surprising degree, news about the census has penetrated the public’s consciousness. Fully two-thirds have heard of California’s emergence as a “minority-majority” state — where blacks, Hispanics and people of Asian descent comprise a majority — and 58% know that, nationwide, Hispanics are now as populous as blacks.

Race and ethnicity are important factors in the public’s attitudes toward the census. Hispanics and non-whites are more upbeat over population growth than non-Hispanic whites, better than half of whom (54%) see this as a bad thing.

The census has shown that, despite the nation’s increasing diversity, segregation remains a fact of life in the United States. About seven-in-ten (71%) see this as a bad thing. More blacks and Hispanics than whites express concern about racial segregation.

By a fairly narrow margin (35%-29%), non-Hispanic whites react positively to the census finding that Hispanics have achieved rough numerical parity with blacks. Hispanics and nonwhites are much more encouraged by this — more than half (52%) see it as a good thing.

Racial differences are also evident on California’s minority-majority status. While non-Hispanic whites are divided over whether this is a good thing, Hispanics and non-whites, by a three-to-one margin (61%-20%), have a positive reaction to this census finding.

While whites appear somewhat conflicted over many of the census findings, so too are older people. Americans age 50 and over are split over whether it is good that Hispanics are now as populous as blacks. Women age 50 and over, in particular, have reservations about this demographic shift. Just 28% see the growth of the Hispanic population as a good thing, compared to 41% of men age 50 and over.

More Say Immigrants Adapt

This mixed view of the changing composition of the population may be more reflective of ethnic and racial strains than economic concerns. In general, the public is less resentful of immigrants than in the mid- and late-1990s and far less likely to regard them as an economic burden.

The current survey finds that better than four-in-ten (43%) say today’s immigrants adapt better to American life than their predecessors in the early 1900s; 34% held that view in 1997. Just half as many in the current survey (21%) say they don’t adapt as well, and 31% believe that today’s immigrants adapt in about the same fashion.

Democrats and independents are more likely than Republicans to say that today’s immigrants fit in better than their predecessors. There also is a gender gap on this question — more women than men believe that today’s immigrants fit in better than those in the past.

In recent years, attitudes toward immigrants — particularly regarding their economic impact — have undergone a remarkable turnaround. In 1994, the public by about a two-to-one margin (63% -31%) saw immigrants as an economic drain on the country. In a Center survey last September, just 38% held that view (a 25% shift), while half of Americans said immigrants’ work ethics and talents strengthened the United States. This trend has cut across racial and ethnic lines; whites, blacks and Hispanics all hold more favorable views of immigrants’ economic contributions than they did several years ago.

However, a recent Gallup survey showed that, if anything, the public is slightly more divided over immigrants’ cultural impact. In March, Gallup found a plurality (45%) saying that increased diversity created by immigrants mostly improves American culture, while 38% say it mostly threatens the culture.

New Categories OK

Last year’s census, for the first time, allowed Americans to classify themselves as belonging to more than one race. By and large, the public approves of this change — half believe it is a good thing, while 27% view it negatively.

Six-in-ten Hispanics endorse the change, compared to about half of whites and blacks (49% and 51%, respectively). But slightly more African-Americans (36%) have an unfavorable reaction to the new racial classifications than either whites or Hispanics (26%, 23%).