New Weekly Survey from U.S. Census Bureau Provides Crucial Insight for Recovery Efforts

On Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau released initial results from the new Household Pulse Survey, a measure of "a range of ways in which people’s lives have been impacted by the pandemic," expected for publication on a weekly basis through late July. The survey's data are intended to inform response and recovery planning at state and federal levels. 

The survey tracks six key impact measures related to loss and expected loss of employment income, food scarcity, delayed medical care, housing insecurity, and K-12 educational changes, both nationally and by state. The first two weeks of data show that 21.3% of Americans had "only slight or no confidence in being able to pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time," reports Jane Callen. 

Even during 2020 Decennial Census operations, the Census Bureau is dedicated to producing the near real-time data necessary to understand important changes in American life to effectively respond during this time of crisis, as described when the Census Bureau announced its new, coronavirus-related surveys in April.