A partial special census will take place in West Des Moines this summer to update its population count in the hope it will receive additional federal funding.
A news release from the city of West Des Moines says residents in the areas that will be counted should expect to receive mailings from the federal government in June and July with a 12-digit code that residents can use to complete the census online by the end of July.
Census officials predict those who don’t complete the survey online will be met by field representatives at the front door of their homes in mid-August. Census workers will be required to carry a U.S. Census Bureau photo ID badge. All information census takers collect is confidential. No one will be asked for sensitive information such as Social Security number or financial information.
The city of West Des Moines asks residents to complete a census form so it can document the city’s growth and ability to qualify for additional Road Use Tax revenue for services such as street repair, public safety, schools, hospitals, and senior services. It expects it could receive an additional $5.6 million from 2026 to 2030, depending on the results.
The census will cost the city approximately $405,000.
Several suburbs in the Des Moines metro are moving forward with their own special censuses to update their growing populations. Ankeny recently received results of its special census, which showed the city’s population increased 12.3% to 76,200 over the past four years, up from 67,887 to become Iowa’s fifth-largest city after Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Sioux City.
Census workers needed in West Des Moines
The federal government is looking for door-to-door census takers in West Des Moines. Interested applicants are required to fill out an online application.
Field representatives will be paid $25.50 per hour and field supervisors will be paid $29.50 per hour. Links to each job are now available on the city’s website.
All census applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle, be willing to work between 25 to 40 hours a week, including holidays, evenings, and weekends, and attend a four- to five-day training session for field representatives and field supervisors. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen and pass a background check before scheduled training.
The West Des Moines Census Office can be contacted at 515-273-0790 for any questions.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: West Des Moines to conduct partial special census this summer, will need census workers
Reporting by Chris Meglio, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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