The 2030 Census is four and a half years away, but efforts to update Census Bureau maps are already getting started.
The Census Bureau’s July publication of its initial 2030 Census Operational Plan indicates that six major geography update programs will be used to gather input from states, counties and municipalities. Those same programs were utilized in the 2020 Census and focused on three areas: housing unit addresses, boundaries and redistricting data.
Addresses | Redistricting Data | Boundaries and Statistical Areas |
Local 2030 Census Preparations Should Begin Now
The first two programs offered by the Bureau, BBSP and LUCA, are coming soon, and both programs potentially require state or local partnerships to participate.
Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP) Reviews begin in Early 2026 BBSP is a chance to preview the census tabulation blocks that will be used for the 2030 Census and to make suggestions for new boundaries that can be used in state and local redistricting, as well as other purposes. Why it matters… Block boundaries that are not present in the Census Bureau’s redistricting data cannot be used for redistricting. | Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Reviews begin in early 2027 LUCA is a once-a-decade, pre-census activity, where local officials review the Census Bureau’s Master Address File (MAF) for completeness. Reviewers will have six months to suggest MAF corrections. Why it matters… Housing units missing from the Census Bureau’s MAF will not be included in the census and residents won’t be counted. |
Find more details about the Bureau’s other geography programs on the Tennessee State Data Center website.