They've been sent to your mailbox and now officials are asking you to fill them out.

By now, all Kentucky households should've received a U.S. Census form and city leaders in Bowling Green are urging everyone to participate.

"For every person that we miss in our community, we can lose over $2000 in federal funds coming into our community," said Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker.

Mayor Walker says there's a lot at stake for Bowling Green this year, and filling out your 2010 census is important.

"We can officially become the third largest city in the commonwealth," Mayor Walker said.

In 2000, Bowling Green had an estimated population of just under 49,300.

Eight years later, those statistics climbed to just more than 55,000.

Mayor Walker says with an accurate count from this year's census, the city could see numbers as high as 57,000, even surpassing the city of Owensboro.

"Owensboro is plateauing in terms of their population growth and Bowling Green has surged in the last couple of years," Mayor Walker said. "That's why we think we are actually going to overtake Owensboro in this next census."

The census is 10 questions and takes less than 10 minutes to finish.

If there are more people in the household there are additional questions for each of them, but officials say completed forms are crucial for getting some much needed funding.

"We use them for everything from the community development block grant funds, where we have helped build housing for those transitioning out of foster-care, to creating small businesses," Mayor Walker said.

The census is also not only safe, but confidential.

Federal law protects personal census information and no other agency can use or share yours.

"The IRS, the Immigration Service, the FBI, the Secret Service -- none of those agencies can access those forms," the mayor said.

Census officials are asking that you not wait to return your form.

Door-to-door visits start in April to collect census information.

Federal law also requires participation.