Microcensus 2024: 50,000 citizens in Bavaria called upon to participate!

Microcensus 2024: 50,000 citizens in Bavaria called upon to participate!

The 2024 microcensus is in full swing and there is still a lot to do. By the end of the year, around 50,000 citizens in Bavaria must take part in this important survey. The microcensus is a kind of small census that helps us get a better picture of the economic and social situation of the population.

In Bavaria, as in the rest of Germany, the microcensus is carried out every year. Unlike the census, which takes place every ten years and focuses primarily on population numbers, the microcensus provides deeper insights into people's living conditions. So far, around 70,000 people in Bavaria have provided their data, with the majority doing so by telephone. Online participation is also very popular. The information collected is crucial for making political decisions based on solid data.

Important data for political decisions

The microcensus is the largest annual household survey in Germany. Every year around 120,000 people in Bavaria provide information about their living and working conditions. This data is essential to improve the quality of life of the population and to develop targeted measures against poverty or to support families and pensioners. Politicians can only make well-founded decisions with reliable and high-quality information.

The survey is carried out using a mathematical-statistical random procedure that ensures that the selected households are representative. Volunteer survey officers visit the selected households and identify themselves with an ID card. Households then receive a letter from the Bavarian State Office for Statistics informing them of the survey and inviting them to participate.

So far, around 70,000 of the 120,000 people selected for the 2024 microcensus have fulfilled their obligation to provide information. Around half of those surveyed chose the telephone interview, while almost as many preferred the online survey. The traditional paper questionnaire is being used less and less.

Differences between microcensus and census

There is often confusion between the terms “census” and “microcensus.” The census is a comprehensive survey that is carried out every ten years and determines the official number of inhabitants. In the last census survey in 2022, around 13 percent of the population was surveyed. In contrast, the microcensus takes place annually and surveys only one percent of the population, with the focus on the economic and social situation.

The characteristics defined in the microcensus law are more extensive than those in the census. However, both surveys have an obligation to provide information in order to ensure data quality. The individual information provided by the respondents is strictly secret and may not be traced back to personal data.

For further information about the microcensus, those interested can visit the website of the Bavarian State Office for Statistics.