UPDATED: Comment Period Open for Proposed Census Changes
As you may be aware, the Census Bureau proposed substantial changes to how the 2030 Census counts the country earlier this month. The changes would have a major impact on how Colorado's population would be counted, how federal funding is distributed, and limit our demographic understanding of the population.
What specifically does this mean?
- International students, work-visa holders, refugees, asylees, and other residents would be excluded from the apportionment count for the first time and likely not counted at all.
- A new January 3 to April 1 “enumeration period” and a tax-records test for where you live would miscount snowbirds, movers, rural P.O. box filers, college students, and service members, altering counts of the population drastically for many locations in the state.
- The proposed changes would remove collection of race and ethnicity data from the census questionnaire. Questions pertaining to race and ethnicity have existed in some form in every census since 1790. Removal of race and ethnicity data would impact survey and research endeavors in nearly every sector including public health, civil rights, business and so much more.
What can you do?
These changes are currently under an open comment period until November 2, 2026. We encourage any group potentially impacted by these proposed changes to respond while the comment period is open.
If you do choose to write a response, several organizations have generated templates to help construct your own responses or you may use other submissions to help guide the structure of your own submission.
44th Annual State Demography Summit and Data Release
 On Friday, November 6, the State Demography Office (SDO) will host the 44th Annual State Demography Summit. This event coincides with our annual data release updates to Colorado’s population estimates and forecasts, workforce analysis, and housing data, offering the most up-to-date view of the state's official demographics.
Join us in person or virtually to hear directly from SDO demographers and economists alongside featured guest speakers Steve Colella (Chief of Staff, Douglas County School District) discussing K-12 planning amidst shifting demographics, and Hanna Scovill (Vice President & Senior Economist, Pacey Economics) discussing Colorado’s competitive climate.
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Date & Time: Friday, November 6 | 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Check-in at 9:30 a.m.)
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Location: DCSD Legacy Campus (Lone Tree) & Live Stream
For additional event details and pricing, or to reserve your spot, visit the Summit Registration Page.
2030 Census Prep: What Local and Regional Partners Need to Know About LUCA
Though the official Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) review period begins in late 2027, local and regional partners are encouraged to begin preparations now. LUCA gives tribal, state, and local governments the opportunity to review and comment on the Census Bureau's address list, a critical step in securing an accurate population count and fair distribution of federal funding.
Key updates for the 2030 cycle include:
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100% Digital Review: No paper maps or lists will be distributed.
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Extended Submission Window: Jurisdictions will have up to 6 months (vs. 4 months in 2020) to complete review submissions.
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Early Data Availability: Address Count Listing Files are available early to assist with preliminary comparisons against local E-911 and GIS records.
Learn more by reviewing the Census Bureau's 2030 LUCA Training Webinar or attending the upcoming Countdown to LUCA webinar hosted by National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties on October 28.
Census Bureau Seeking Participants for Usability Testing
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Center for Enterprise Dissemination Services and Consumer Innovation is looking for participants for an upcoming Usability Testing study.
A wide range of data users with varying backgrounds are needed to learn how users interact with the site. Participants should have past or current experience using or analyzing data – and use data from data.census.gov or other statistical sites for research and to make decisions. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in participating in this study, please complete the eligibility survey.
Participants will receive a $40 digital incentive for the interview. Federal employees are not eligible for the incentive.
Legacy USA Trade Online Tool Decommissioned, New USA Trade Online Tool Available
As of June 30, the legacy USA Trade Online platform has been decommissioned and replaced with the new USA Trade Online: Reimagined platform. The new version features the same trade data as the legacy version while improving user experience with a modern, more intuitive interface and streamlined design.
Visit the State Demography Office website for more.
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