During a recent meeting of the Senate Committee on the Census, officials from Worcester, Massachusetts, outlined their proactive approach to updating the city’s address database in preparation for the 2030 Census. The city manager highlighted the collaborative efforts of multiple departments, including economic development, public safety, and planning services, to identify new addresses added since the last census in 2010.

Worcester has experienced significant growth, with numerous older buildings being converted into housing and new constructions emerging. As a result, the city identified approximately 345 new address blocks, which were submitted to the Secretary of State and federal census partners. This initiative is part of the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program, aimed at ensuring accurate population counts.

A key challenge discussed was the lack of a unified master database for addresses, which complicates data sharing among various city departments. Each department maintains its own records, including voter data, assessing information, and construction permits. The city aims to create a single master address database to streamline this process for the upcoming census.

The officials expressed optimism about replicating their successful strategies from the 2020 census, which showed an increase in the city’s population due to new residents moving in. The collaborative efforts and technological support from the city’s GIS team are expected to enhance data accuracy and improve the overall census response.

As Worcester prepares for the 2030 Census, the focus remains on building a comprehensive address database that reflects the city’s growth and ensures every resident is counted. The committee's discussions underscored the importance of accurate data collection for effective representation and resource allocation in the community.