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Residence Rules
THE CONCEPT OF USUAL RESIDENCE
RESIDENCE RULES
PEOPLE AWAY ON VACATION OR BUSINESS
PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING
PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE RESIDENCES
STUDENTS
LIVE-INS
MILITARY OR MERCHANT MARINE PERSONNEL IN THE U.S.
MILITARY OR MERCHANT MARINE PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE U.S.
PEOPLE IN HOSPITALS, PRISONS, OR OTHER INSTITUTIONS
PEOPLE IN NONINSTITUTIONAL GROUP QUARTERS
FOREIGN CITIZENS
U.S. CITIZENS ABROAD
WHERE YOU ARE COUNTED IS IMPORTANT
For Census 2010, the Census Bureau is committed to counting every person. Just as important, however, is the Census Bureau's commitment to counting every person in the correct place. The fundamental reason the decennial census is conducted is to fulfill the constitutional requirement (Article I, Section 2) to apportion the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states. Thus, for a fair and equitable apportionment, it is crucial that Census 2010 count people in the right place.
THE CONCEPT OF USUAL RESIDENCE
Planners of the first U.S. decennial census in 1790 established the concept of "usual residence" as the main principle in determining where people were to be counted. This concept has been followed in all subsequent censuses and is the guiding principle for Census 2010. Usual residence has been defined as the place where the person lives and sleeps most of the time. This place is not necessarily the same as the person's voting residence or legal residence. Also, noncitizens who are living in the United States are included, regardless of their immigration status.
Determining usual residence is easy for most people. Given our nation's wide diversity in types of living arrangements, however, the usual residence for some people is not as apparent. A few examples are people without housing, commuter workers, snowbirds, college students, live-in nannies, military personnel, and migrant workers.
Applying the usual residence concept to real living situations means that people will not always be counted at the place where they happen to be staying on Census Day (April 1, 2010). For example, people temporarily away from their usual residence, such as on vacation or on a business trip on Census Day, will be counted at their usual residence. People who live at more than one residence during the week, month, or year will be counted at the place where they live most of the time. People without a usual residence, however, will be counted where they are staying on Census Day.
RESIDENCE RULESThe Census Bureau has developed residence rules that provide instructions on where people should be counted in Census 2010. The following sections give the residence rules for people in various living situations. PEOPLE AWAY ON VACATION OR BUSINESS
People temporarily away on vacation or a business trip on Census Day - Counted at their usual residence, that is, the place where they live and sleep most of the time. PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING
People without a usual residence - Counted where they are staying on Census Day. PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE RESIDENCES
Commuter workers living away part of the week while working - Counted at the residence where they stay most of the week.
Snowbirds (people who live in one state but spend the winter in another state with a warmer climate) - Counted at the residence where they live most of the year.
Children in joint custody - Counted at the residence where they live most of the time. If time is equally divided, they are counted where they are staying on Census Day.
People who own more than one residence - Counted at the residence where they live most of the time.
STUDENTSBoarding school students - Counted at their parental home rather than at the boarding school.
College students living away from home while attending college - Counted where they are living at college.
College students living at their parental home while attending college - Counted at their parental home.
LIVE-INSLive-in nannies - Counted where they live most of the week.
Foster children - Counted where they are living.
Roomers or boarders - Counted where they are living.
Housemates or roommates - Counted where they are living.
MILITARY OR MERCHANT MARINE PERSONNEL IN THE U.S.People in the military residing in the United States - Counted at their usual residence (the place where they live and sleep most of the time), whether it is on-base or off-base.
Crews of military vessels with a U.S. homeport - Counted at their usual onshore residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time when they are onshore) or otherwise at their vessel's homeport.
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels engaged in inland waterway transportation - Counted at their usual onshore residence (the place where they live and sleep most of the time when they are onshore).
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels docked in a U.S. port or sailing from one U.S. port to another U.S. port - Counted at their usual onshore residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time when they are onshore) or otherwise on the vessel.
MILITARY OR MERCHANT MARINE PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE U.S.People in the military assigned to military installations outside the U.S., including family members with them - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population and not as part of the U.S. resident population.
Crews of military vessels with a homeport outside the U.S. - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population and not as part of the U.S. resident population.
Crews of U.S. flag merchant vessels docked in a foreign port, sailing from one foreign port to another foreign port, sailing from a U.S. port to a foreign port, or sailing from a foreign port to a U.S. port - Not included in the census.
PEOPLE IN HOSPITALS, PRISONS, OR OTHER INSTITUTIONSPatients in general hospitals or wards, including newborn babies - Counted at their usual residence (the place where they live and sleep most of the time). Newborn babies are counted at the residence in which they will be living.
Patients in chronic or long-term disease hospitals or wards - Counted at the hospital or ward.
People in nursing or convalescent homes for the aged or dependent - Counted at the nursing or convalescent home.
Patients staying in hospice facilities - Counted at the hospice.
People staying in homes, schools, hospitals, or wards for the physically handicapped, mentally retarded, or mentally ill; or in drug/alcohol recovery facilities - Counted at the institution.
Inmates of correctional institutions, including prisons, jails, detention centers, or halfway houses - Counted at the institution.
Children in juvenile institutions such as residential care facilities for neglected or abused children or orphanages - Counted at the institution.
Staff members living in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, or other institutions - Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the institution.
PEOPLE IN NONINSTITUTIONAL GROUP QUARTERSMigrant farmworkers - Counted at their usual U.S. residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the workers' camp.
People at hostels, YMCAs/YWCAs, or public or commercial campgrounds - Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the hostel, etc.
Members of religious orders living in monasteries or convents - Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the monastery, etc.
People staying at Job Corps or other post-high school residential vocational training facilities - Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the Job Corps Center, etc.
People at soup kitchens or mobile food vans - Counted at their usual residence if they report one (the place where they live and sleep most of the time) or otherwise at the soup kitchen, etc.
Shelters with sleeping facilities for people without housing, for abused women, or for runaway or neglected youth - Counted at the shelter.
FOREIGN CITIZENSCitizens of foreign countries who have established a household or are part of an established household in the U.S. while working or studying, including family members with them - Counted at the household.
Citizens of foreign countries who are living in the U.S. at embassies, ministries, legations, or consulates - Counted at the embassy, etc.
Citizens of foreign countries temporarily traveling or visiting in the U.S. - Not included in the census.
U.S. CITIZENS ABROADU.S. citizens employed overseas as civilians by the U.S. Government, including family members with them - Counted as part of the U.S. overseas population and not as part of the U.S. resident population.
U.S. citizens not employed by the U.S. Government who are working, studying, or living overseas - Not included in the census.
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