COVID-19 delays 2020 U.S. Census progress

Response rates in rural Appalachia still low

BY JESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR F illing out the 2020 U.S. Census form is easier than ever, yet response levels are still significantly lagging in many Western North Carolina counties.

North Carolina’s response rate of 56.8 percent is not too far behind the national response rate of 60.5 percent, but the response rates in some of the far western counties are still way down. Cherokee County is at 43.5 percent; Clay County at 45.4 percent; Graham County at 24 percent; Jackson County at 27.4 percent; Macon County at 35.7 percent and Swain County at 27 percent. Haywood County is faring the best right now with a 51 percent response rate.

Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional Census manager for the Atlanta region, said the unexpected COVID-19 Pandemic and the subsequent restrictions have impacted response rates for a number of reasons. Many rural WNC residents might not have even received their information packets yet because the U.S. Census field workers just returned to work May 11 after field operations were suspended March 15 due to the coronavirus.

“Households that don’t receive mail through the conventional mail and only have a post office box, we have to hand deliver those materials to their physical address, but we had to suspend that field work March 15 just days after we started,” Stephens said.

Now that field operations have resumed, more households in the surrounding counties should be receiving their packets soon to fill out. Households are able to fill out their forms and mail them in, call the toll-free number given or complete the form online.

“Now you can use three options to get your responses to us — phone, mail or online,” she said. “The packet we deliver to your door has the invitation, all the info you need and the paper questionnaire.”

Usually the field work would have been

completed by now as the U.S. Census works diligently to get as many responses as possible before the October deadline.

“When we had to suspend field work, you could look at the map of the entire state and there’s a cluster of counties in the western corner and you think, ‘my goodness, what happened here?’” she said. “COVID directly impacted those rural counties’ ability to respond.”

The U.S. Census workers were assigned other duties while field work was suspended, but they are fully trained and ready to complete their work within a few weeks. Stephens said people could still apply to work for the U.S. Census by completely an online assessment at www.uscensus.gov/jobs that takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Map showing response rates in NC.

Source: 2020census.gov.

COMPLETING C ENSUS THE

Completing the Census form has never been easier. While the 2000 U.S. Census marked the first time people could complete the survey online, mailing in the form was still the primary way to respond and the online form wasn’t publicized. The 2020 Census marks the first time residents have three options for responding.

The survey asks questions about how many people live in the household, ages of people in the household, incomes, occupations and other demographic information. If you are completing the survey online at my2020census.gov, you’ll need the 12-digit Census ID number that is included in the packet information mailed to your home.

Stephens said many people still expect a Census worker to show up at the door and help households fill out the form, but that’s not the standard procedure nowadays.

“1950 was the last time the primary way you responded was through someone coming to your home to interview people. In 1960, we started self-response. When we knock on your door now, that means you haven’t responded to our other nice requests,” she joked. “We don’t wanna knock on your door right now, but we will if we have to — we’ve done it during hurricane season.”

Stephens said one good thing to come out of COVID-19 is that parents are at home with their children and helping them with their remote learning. Filling out the Census has turned out to be a useful learning opportunity for the entire family.

“The Census is being used as part of homeschooling and parents are tasking the kids with going online to fill it out together. We like that idea, teaching them the importance of participating at a young age.”

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Stephens said she wants households to realize how important it is to complete the Census and the many ways those Census numbers can impact their future.

“The population numbers are very important, especially for rural communities,” she said. “It helps determine funding for rural health care centers and hospitals, early childhood education and Headstart programs. Rural schools depend on Title 1 funds and funding from the national nutrition programs — all of that is funded through the Census numbers.”

Census numbers are also closely tied to programs to help people with affordable housing and programs F

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Highway construction and repair plans “It’s a challenge to get Appalachian people to do it, but we “Assuring we get as many congressional encourage them by asking them what proseats as it can is critical to communities. grams they depend on I think North Carolina missed it by a hair and reminding them that there’s two laws in the 2010 Census.” that govern Census date — Title 13 says — Marilyn Stephens, we can only publish assistant regional Census manager Census information in statistical form and no agency can get your for the next 10 years will be determined by data and it can’t be subpoenaed by the the Census numbers established in 2020. court. There is a five-year prison term or a Once those numbers are in, there’s no $250,000 fine associated with violating that updating them for another 10 years, which law,” Stephens said. “Then there’s Title 44 is why it’s so important to have the most that says Census information is sealed for 72 accurate population numbers possible. years. The last Census data released was in

As local governments all across the 2012 for 1942 and the 1950 Census data will nation deal with a health pandemic, the be released in 2022.” funding needs for first responders has never WNC also has a growing number of been more apparent and many federally Hispanic families who may not want to fill funded EMS programs are also tied to out the Census because they fear being Census counts. deported, but Stephens again reiterated

“Population counts are important that government agencies, including because we have to live with those numbers Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for the next 10 years,” Stephens said. can’t get a hold of the data. She added that “Things that we really just assume are there, those migrant families might also benefit we’re all learning right now how tied they one day from filling out the Census. are to the Census. People need to ask them“During Reagan’s amnesty program, selves, Am I being counted? Am I helping to people who wanted to be eligible for that shape the future of my community?” program needed certain documentation

Perhaps one of the most important and if they had participated in Census at things North Carolina has to gain is persome point, they were able to send in a haps another congressional seat in form and get their age during the last Washington, D.C. Right now, the state has Census as a way to get entitlements,” she 13 U.S. representatives. The 2000 U.S. said. “We count all persons without distincCensus results had N.C. increasing from 12 tion — your status doesn’t matter and your to 13 seats based on population, but the children may benefit from having this infor2010 numbers weren’t high enough to add mation in the future.” another seat. With North Carolina’s populaStephens is encouraging residents to tion on the rise, 2020 could very well create complete the Census survey and then chala new seat. lenge 10 friends to complete it as well. Local

“Assuring we get as many congressional government leaders could also challenge seats as it can is critical to communities. I neighboring communities through social think North Carolina missed it by a hair in media to get their response rates up. A little the 2010 Census,” Stephens said. friendly competition could lead to better

North Carolina’s population according counts in rural WNC. to the 2010 Census was 9,535,483 and the Fill out the Census survey at 2020cenestimated N.C. population as of July 2019 sus.gov.

Swain County 27%

Jackson County 27.4% IS MY INFORMATION SAFE? Macon County 35.7% The U.S. Census region based in Atlanta Cherokee County 43.5% is responsible for responses in seven southClay County 45.4% ern states, including North Carolina. One of Haywood County 51% the challenges in the region is getting households to trust that the information like WIC and SNAP that help families in they provide to the federal government is poverty provide food for their children. secure and won’t be used against them Those numbers also help determine fundsomehow in the future. ing needs for public transit, programs for People in rural Appalachia are particuseniors like Meals on Wheels and assistance larly suspicious of the government and for veterans. unwilling to complete the Census form.

was 10,488,084. Based on a report released 2020 U.S. Census by Election Data Services, a political consulting firm specializing in analyzing response rates Census data, North Carolina and six other states are likely to increase their congresNational 60.5% sional delegation following the 2020 numNorth Carolina 56.8% bers. Graham County 24%

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