Next month, millions of households across the United States will receive a U.S. Census questionnaire in the mail.

This simple 10-question survey not only gives the federal government an updated view of the country’s population and its demographics, but it also helps cities such as Simi Valley receive federal funding.

For most, the census will take less than five minutes to complete. Questions on the survey include name, sex, age, race, household relationship and whether you own or rent your home.

Performed every 10 years, the census determines how many representatives each state should have in the U.S. Congress.

The federal funding that communities receive based on the census data can be used to build schools, senior citizen centers, roadways and other public projects.

The data also is used by government entities to recognize groups in certain regions that might be more vulnerable during a natural disaster or areas that have seen a population influx and may need better roadways.

It’s also used by companies looking for skilled workers, by health organizations to identify populations that might be susceptible to a disease outbreak and by environmentalists who use the data to recognize potentially harmful trends relating to urbanization before irreversible damage is done.

The census does not ask about the citizenship status of respondents or their Social Security numbers. And information concerning individuals and households is never shared with other government agencies, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Because the census requires an accurate count, workers will visit homes in person to ensure addresses are up-to-date and to ask questions face to face. It’s important to know that all census workers carry official government badges marked with just their name. It is okay to ask for a picture ID from another source to confirm their identity. Some census workers might also carry a “U. S. Census Workers” bag to help identify them.

As President Dwight Eisenhower said of the 1960 census, “The prompt, complete and accurate answering should be regarded as one of the requirements of good citizenship.”

Here’s to being a good citizen.