Are you looking for a way to make some extra cash while helping your community? Then you might want to consider working part-time for the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau is in the process of recruiting individuals for part-time work. And they’re trying to get the word out early as early as possible.

They are currently hiring thousands of people from all across the nation.

The data they collect is used to determine representation in Congress, as well as how money is spent on roads, schools, hospitals, and more.

The manager of the census office told me it’s essential for people to apply for these positions.

Manager at the North Dakota Census Office, Kevin Iverson says, “If our census is off just 1/10 of 1% the impact to the state of North Dakota is about $15 million. It’s huge in terms of funds from the federal government because almost every program uses this data to figure out what the distribution of funds will be.”

He told me how much money over a 10-year span in North Dakota could cost us.

One missed resident = $19,100 in losses
One missed household = $44,312 in losses
Statewide census count is off by .1% will = $15 million dollars in losses.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number, and be a U.S. citizen.

They are offering positions as census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisory staff. The average salary working part-time here in North Dakota is around $17 an hour (depending on your county). You are paid weekly and they will reimburse you for expenses like mileage.

Iverson told me what kind of workers they normally hire.

“In many cases what they are looking at is retired individuals and college students because a lot of the work will be afternoons and evenings, going to people’s houses who haven’t responded to the census and asking them how many people live here, can I get your name and so on,” says Iverson.

The Census Bureau says that the employees they hire are legitimate. And to ask for government identification for anyone that ever knocks on your door. Also, they advise to never give out personal information like your social security number.

For more information on how you can apply and other frequently asked questions, click here.