Census rules may shift local funds

Ordinary residents in Guilford County may see changes in local services if federal counting rules shift. County officials warn that new guidelines for the 2030 Census could determine how much federal money the area receives for the next decade. The rules affect transportation, housing, public health, and support for low-income residents.

The U.S. Census Bureau published proposed regulations on Sept. 10. These changes would alter who is included in the population count used for congressional seats. Under current rules, anyone who ordinarily lives in the United States is counted. The new proposal limits this group to American citizens and lawful permanent residents. This change would exclude undocumented immigrants. It would also leave out international students, temporary workers, and people with certain humanitarian protections.

The change affects how college towns are counted. Currently, students are counted where they live and sleep most of the time. The new rules would use a different standard. It would look at where a person has lawfully spent the most days between Jan. 3 and April 1 of the census year. This could change the numbers for places with high student turnover. The Census Bureau argues that these residency standards better match constitutional requirements for representation.

The proposal also removes certain demographic questions. The Bureau wants to ban questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on the decennial census. It would keep questions about biological sex, date of birth, and household relationships. The agency says these questions are not needed to establish the population count. County officials worry that losing this data will hurt civil rights compliance and redistricting efforts.

Guilford County has a population of 562,234 as of July 2025. This figure is up from 541,299 in the 2020 Census. The county includes major universities such as UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University. These schools attract many international students. Under the new rules, non-citizen students would not count toward congressional apportionment. This could lower the county’s official population count used for funding formulas.

Census data guides the distribution of more than $2.8 trillion in annual federal funding. Not all funding formulas use the same population count. It is not yet clear how the specific changes will impact individual programs. County officials are submitting comments to the Census Bureau. The National Association of Counties has encouraged local governments to weigh in before the deadline.

The public comment period ends on Nov. 2. The original deadline was Oct. 13, but the agency extended it. The proposal was signed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The regulations have not been finalized. The Census Bureau may revise them based on feedback. Comments can be submitted under docket number USBC-2026-0628. The final rules will determine how residents are counted and how funds are allocated.