Lessons Learned from the 2020 Decennial Census

For this report, we assessed the adequacy of the U.S. Census Bureau’s (the Bureau's) quality control processes to ensure the data collected during the 2020 Decennial Census (2020 Census) was complete and accurate. This report discusses lessons learned during the nonresponse followup (NRFU) operations for the 2020 Census: I. Students were likely undercounted at off-campus addresses despite outreach efforts; II. A significant number of NRFU enumerations were completed using a proxy; and III. The Bureau’s improper execution of its 2020 Census Quality Assurance Plan may have adversely affected data quality. While the 2020 Census operations have concluded, we suggest proposed actions for change from these lessons learned to inform the research and planning efforts for the 2030 Census.