FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010
2010 Census: Alabama, D.C., Virginia and Vermont Succeed in Matching Their 2000 Mail Participation Rates
Release Information
On Friday, April 16, three more states and the District of Columbia succeeded in matching their mail participation rates from the 2000 Census. The states and the rates they achieved were Alabama (66 percent), Washington, D.C. (66 percent), Virginia (73 percent) and Vermont (65 percent).
Other states that crossed that threshold earlier continue to see impressive returns, including North Carolina (currently at 71 percent; five points over its 2000 Census rate), South Carolina (at 70 percent, also five points over its 2000 rate); Kentucky (at 72 percent; two points over) and Tennessee (at 70 percent, one point over). Overall, the nation reached 69 percent -- still three points away from matching the national mail participation rate of 72 percent from the 2000 Census.
The U.S. Census Bureau is encouraging all households to mail their census forms back today, because forms put in the mail by today will likely be received and processed in time to delete those households from the list of addresses census workers must visit starting May 1. Households that normally pick up their mail from a post office box are already slated for follow-up in May from census workers.
The rates for all states, counties, places, towns and townships are updated each afternoon through April 23 at 4 p.m. on the Take 10 Challenge Map (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/). A final rate will be announced May 3.
ABOUT THE 2010 CENSUS
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.