The sixth question on the 2010 U.S. Census form.
Now that the new census numbers are in, Grand Strand officials are saying, show us the money.
Horry County's population grew by more than 70,000 people, which should bring bigger federal and state grants to the area.
More people equals more money for things like roads, housing and education.
It's not clear how much more, but officials say last year's drive to get local people to fill out their census forms, will pay off over the next ten years.
Perhaps no one in Horry County paid closer attention to the 2010 numbers than the director of the Waccamaw Regional Transportation Authority, Myers Rollins, Jr.
That's because Coast RTA gets nearly half of its operating budget, about $1.5 million, from the federal government.
According to federal policy, any area with an urban population over 200,000 loses its federal funding.
This year, Horry County just made it under the limit.
Rollins says, "For the next ten years, we will secure between $15 and $17 million in federal funds for operations, another $10 million in capital funds and probably another $5 million in state matching funds."
The City of Myrtle Beach expects bigger police and fire grants, after a 19-percent population increase.
While that's not as big as the county's 37-percent hike, all growth in the area helps secure more funding.
Mark Kruea, spokesman for the city says, "there are various population levels, some are based on the city population, some are based on regional population, so as Horry County grows, Myrtle Beach will benefit as well."
Even with the growth and the money that comes with it, local officials expect Horry County will still send more to the state than it gets back.
Horry County councilman Gary Loftus tells us, "All those sales tax dollars go to Columbia, all those gas tax dollars go to Columbia, and Columbia spends them as they see fit, which in most cases is not Horry County."
City officials say, last year's census push really helped. People were counted who would have been missed otherwise.
Each person not counted by the census costs the state about $1,200 over ten years.
