Director-General of the Department of Statistics Haidar Freihat said Tuesday that Jordan’s 2026 Population and Housing Census will begin on October 1, with electronic self-enumeration through the Sanad application starting on the same day and continuing through October 3.
اضافة اعلان
Field enumeration will begin on October 4, with census operations set to conclude on October 31.
Freihat explained during the Government Communication Forum that a self-enumeration link will be sent through Sanad to citizens who have previously submitted their biometric data and provided their phone numbers to the Department of Statistics. They will then be able to complete and submit their household and housing information electronically.
He said field enumeration will cover all residents and housing units across the Kingdom and will be carried out by around 12,000 field researchers. The operation will cover 1,079,085 buildings and 24,058 statistical blocks.
Freihat noted that a pilot exercise will be conducted throughout September to test readiness ahead of the census. It will include testing systems and field procedures, assessing the readiness of personnel and equipment, and addressing any issues before the actual enumeration begins. He stressed that the pilot is not part of the census and its data will not be included in the official results.
The census will span an entire month, from October 1 through the completion of enumeration on October 31, and will cover all residents and housing units in Jordan.
Freihat urged citizens to verify the identity of field researchers before providing any information. The official statistical ID card will serve as the means of verification by asking to see the card, scanning its verification code and confirming the researcher’s identity. He stressed that no data should be provided before the researcher’s identity is verified.
The census questionnaire will cover several areas, including the number of household members, their educational attainment, whether any member has functional difficulties, the type and characteristics of the housing unit, and whether household members have health insurance.
The questions will address demographic and social characteristics, educational data, functional difficulties, housing characteristics and health insurance. Freihat described them as concise questions designed to provide an accurate picture of Jordan’s population and housing.
He stressed that the census will not ask about income and that individuals and households will not be required to disclose the amount of their income. The questionnaire will instead focus on demographic, social and educational characteristics and housing conditions, with all data subject to strict confidentiality.
Freihat said participation in the census will be available through two channels. The first is self-enumeration by opening the link sent through Sanad, completing household and housing information, reviewing the data and submitting it electronically.
The second is in-person field enumeration, which requires having an identification card or family book available and receiving a field researcher either in the morning or evening, including on weekends, with approximately 30 minutes set aside for the interview.
Freihat emphasized that public cooperation will help ensure accurate and comprehensive census data.
He said the success of the census is a shared national responsibility and that it covers both Jordanian and non-Jordanian residents living in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, stressing that every individual, household and housing unit forms part of the national picture.
He added that the census is a legal obligation, that all data will remain confidential, and that its purpose is to support more accurate planning for the future.
