This April 1 is more than April Fool's Day. It's census day. But the joke may be on us if all Stanislaus County residents are not counted. Census 2010 is expected to be among the most difficult in the county's history because of the housing crisis.

• The first census took place in 1790 to determine the number of seats each state would get in the House of Representatives. The once-a-decade count has continued since.