2020 Census

August 25, 2017 - The Census Bureau had initially planned to include the Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill area of West Virginia in its dress rehearsal for the 2020 census, but budget cuts forced it to scale back its plans. As a result, not a single Southern or rural community will be included in the full test, deepening worries about the count's accuracy.

June 28, 2017 - With the 2020 count approaching, concerns are mounting that budget cuts and turnover at the U.S. Census Bureau could lead to missing significant numbers of historically undercounted residents — many in disadvantaged Southern communities that depend on accurate numbers to apportion political power and fund services.