Census Bureau Reminds Select Households to Respond to 2026 Census Test

JULY 30, 2026 - Households in select parts of the Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, metro areas have until August 31 to respond to the 2026 Census Test.

In May, the U.S. Census Bureau launched the 2026 Census Test to evaluate the viability of innovations planned for the 2030 Census, which will be used to inform readiness to achieve a complete and accurate count of the nation's population.

Households in both sites are encouraged to respond online using a computer, tablet or smartphone. Residents in these areas received an invitation to respond online using the unique census ID number assigned to their household. Households that do not respond to the initial invitation may receive up to four reminders in the mail and a visit from a census taker or specially trained U.S. Postal Service (USPS) worker to collect responses in person.

Follow-up visits may happen during the day or evening, with some occurring as late as 9 p.m. on weekdays and weekends.

In Spartanburg, households that have not yet responded may receive a visit from a postal worker to collect responses during their normal mail delivery route or from a census taker. In Huntsville, households that have not yet responded may be visited by census takers and postal workers hired as Census Bureau employees.

Responses are safe, secure and protected by federal law. All responses are kept completely confidential and can only be used to produce statistics.

For more details, visit the 2030 Census and 2026 Census Test webpages and the 2026 Census Test Press Kit.

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