7 CT Towns Have Surpassed their 2010 Census Self-Response Rate

Connecticut was in 14th place among the 50 states this week in the total response to the 2020 U.S. Census, with some communities already exceeding the self-response rate achieved during the 2010 Census, but others lagging considerably behind. Eighteen towns have a self-response rate at or above 75%, while nearly as many have a self-response rate below 50%, including most of the state’s largest cities.

Based on data issued daily by the U.S. Census Bureau, as of May 16, the overall self-response rate for Connecticut was 63.1%, bringing the state closer to the 2010 final self-response rate of 69.5%. Connecticut is slightly ahead of the current self-response rate nationally, which is 59.5% as of May 16.

7 Towns Have Already Topped Their 2010 Response; 5 More Within Reach

Seven towns in Connecticut have surpassed their 2010 self-response rate: Sprague, Eastford, Bridgewater, Lebanon, Litchfield, Brooklyn, and Colebrook.

· Sprague reached the town’s 2010 rate (43.8%) earliest on April 15. This town also saw the largest surge from their 2010 rate, at 57.6% as of May 16, almost 14 percentage points above their 2010 rate.

· Colebrook met their 2010 rate and joined the group of “over-performers” as of May 9.

Nine additional municipalities were within two percentage points of meeting their 2010 rate: Willington, Bozrah, Middlefield, Waterford, Ledyard, Groton, Canterbury, Chester, and Marlborough.

Among Connecticut’s eight counties, New London and Windham Counties were the closest to their final 2010 self-response rate, within 3 percentage points. New Haven County lags furthest behind, at 8 percentage points below the 2010 self-response rate thus far. The highest self-response rate in 2020 is in Tolland County (69%), followed by Middlesex County (66%).

Some Municipalities Lag in Census Response

Some municipalities are still far below their final 2010 self-response rate. Among the five that are furthest behind, each is located in Litchfield County: Sharon, Canaan, Salisbury, Norfolk, and North Canaan.

Lower self-response rates could result in undercounting communities, and undercounts could result in a loss of funding to those municipalities and to the state as a whole. Some of these communities may have low self-response rates because they live in areas that might receive special packets in the mail, which were delayed due to COVID-19. Others may be low due to lack of reliable Internet or even to concerns about completing the census questionnaire.

18 Communities Have Self-Response Rate of 75% or Higher; 12 Cities & Towns Below 50%

Thus far, 18 Connecticut communities have responded most strongly to the Census. As of May 16, these communities have a self-response rate of 75% or higher, led by Tolland at 79%, Marlborough (79%), Burlington (78%), and Orange (78%). The other top towns are Granby, Cheshire, Berlin, Simsbury, Glastonbury, Killingworth, Trumbull, Newington, Bolton, Hebron, Monroe, Bethany, Avon, and Wethersfield.

Each of the municipalities that had the highest self-response rates in the state, as of May 16, 2020, were within less than 5 percentage points of their final 2010 rate, and likely within reach of surpassing their 2010 total self-response in the coming weeks.

The 12 communities with a self-response rate below 50% include Hartford (41%), Bridgeport (45%), New Haven (46%), and Waterbury (48%). The lowest self-response rate as of May 16 is in Salisbury, at 36%.

Households that have yet to respond to the Census can still do so, either online at www.2020census.gov, by phone, or by returning by mail the Census questionnaire that was mailed last month. Individuals responding to the census online are urged to use the Census ID from the letter or provide the address of their household. If they lost the mailing, households can still go online, type in their address and complete their form. The response should include the number of people living at their address as of April 1.

“A strong statewide response is critical for Connecticut to receive the federal funding it deserves for the next 10 years,” said Michelle Riordan-Nold, a member of Connecticut’s Complete Count Committee and Executive Director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative, the lead organization for the State of Connecticut in the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program. “The response thus far has been uneven, and intensifying the effort in all our communities is essential for us to achieve as complete a count as possible. Fortunately, given the current safety concerns, individuals do not need to leave their homes to respond to the Census.”

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. Census statistics are used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and informs how hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds are allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers for public services and infrastructure like hospitals, emergency response, schools and bridges over the next 10 years.

State officials have pointed out that Connecticut receives $10.7 billion annually in federal funding. The self-response rate in Connecticut in 2010 was 69.5%, slightly higher than the national rate of 66.5%.

The Census Bureau has indicated that if households haven’t received a letter in the mail, the Census Bureau will drop off a census invitation and paper form as soon as it is safe to do so. Census takers will also follow up with all households that do not respond on their own. Responding now to the 2020 Census will minimize the need for a census taker to follow up and visit homes in person later this year.

The Connecticut Data Collaborative (www.ctdata.org) is the lead organization for Connecticut in the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program and Connecticut’s official source for Census data related to the 2020 Census. Data and analysis, along with key information, is being posted to the website. The Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) is a statewide public-private partnership that advocates for the public availability of open and accessible data. Connecticut’s Complete Count Committee website is www.ct.gov/census.

The U.S. Census Bureau does not disclose any personal information. Responses are used only to produce statistics. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any census information that identifies an individual. Census Bureau employees take a lifelong pledge of confidentiality to handle data responsibly and keep respondents’ information private. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use personal information at any time.

During the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will never ask individuals for a Social Security number, bank or credit card account numbers, money or donations, or anything on behalf of a political party. There is no citizenship question on the 2020 Census. If someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau contacts a person via email or phone and asks for one of these things, it is a scam, and individuals should not cooperate.

To respond by phone, individuals should contact (844) 330-2020. Additional information about the 2020 Census is available at www.2020census.gov.