Spartanburg is one of two cities selected to test new tools for the U.S. Census Bureau.
The 2026 Census Test began online May 1, 2026 for residents in Spartanburg and Huntsville, Alabama. As part of the test, the Census Bureau is also working with the United States Postal Service to evaluate how postal workers may help collect responses from households that do not respond on their own.
Test Site for 2026 Census in Spartanburg, SCCensus Bureau
Between June and the test’s conclusion on August 31, 2026, census takers — including postal workers — will canvass neighborhoods. Officials say the U.S. Postal Service pilot program is designed to help prepare for the 2030 Census.
United States Postal Service (USPS) Pilot Program
As part of a new collaboration designed to help plan for the 2030 Census, the Census Bureau and USPS will assess the feasibility of using postal workers to collect census responses from households who do not respond on their own.
Starting in June and through August, census takers – including postal workers – may visit homes that don’t respond to count people in person. It’s important to know that postal workers are legitimate census takers for the 2026 Census Test.
If you live in the Spartanburg, SC area, your census responses may be collected by a postal worker while they deliver mail. Households will either be visited by a postal worker or non-postal census taker depending on their location.
If you live in the Huntsville, AL area, the Census Bureau will directly hire postal workers to collect responses outside of their USPS work hours. Because census takers often need to visit households more than once, it is possible that a household is visited by both postal and non-postal census takers in the Huntsville area.
This collaboration will allow the Census Bureau and USPS the opportunity to explore how working together could increase effectiveness in the 2030 Census.
Have more questions about the 2026 Census Test and the role of postal workers? CLICK HERE
