Alexandra Filippenko

The census is not only a declaration of changes but also a predictor that provides a glimpse into the future. What makes the 2020 Census unique is that it not only helped us see the demographic picture in great detail, but the process itself reflected the state of the country. Obstructionist legal battles, the COVID-19 pandemic, and wildfires made organizing the 2020 Census the most challenging in U.S. history, but the results were crucial to understanding the nation's trajectory. The U.S. Constitution calls for the census to provide accurate population statistics to allocate budgets to the states and seats in the House of Representatives, and thus in the electoral college. Clearer and more accurate than any other study, the 2020 Census showed that despite the slow growth and aging of the white population, the country has become much more racially diverse (especially among young people), with demographic and age gaps amply offset by immigrants from Latin America and Asia.