Connecticut Cities Lag in Response to 2020 U.S. Census

Connecticut’s major cities are well behind in residents’ response to the 2020 U.S. Census, compared with the self-response rate in other municipalities in the state. Efforts by community organizations and other initiatives planned to encourage residents to respond to the Census have been widely cancelled or postponed in recent months due to COVID-19, which has slowed the response to the Census and raises the possibility of an undercount, particularly among geographic and demographic segments of the state.

If it does not improve, the reduced response could cost the state and its cities millions of dollars in federal aid during the next 10 years, adversely impacting programs and services that are important to residents. As Connecticut continues its phased reopening, there is still time to respond, as deadlines have been lengthened from summer into the fall, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of the end of last week, the statewide average response rate in Connecticut was 65.1%, ranking 16th in the nation. But fewer than half the households have responded in four of the state’s largest cities. The low response rates include: Hartford, 42.8%; Bridgeport, 47.5%; New Haven, 48.6% and Waterbury, 49.6%.

Many of Connecticut’s other cities also have response rates well below the statewide average: New Britain, 53.6%; New London, 54.9%; Norwich, 59.6%; Meriden, 60.4%; Danbury, 60.6%; and Stamford, 62.1%.

An analysis by the Connecticut Data Collaborative of Census 2020 self-response rates in Connecticut by census tract and demographic characteristics found that:

• A total of 154 census tracts from 36 municipalities accounted for the bottom 5th of self-response rates in the state. The majority of these are in the state’s major cities.
• Tracts with over 50% Hispanic or Black residents have lower response rates than tracts with over 50% White residents.
• Tracts with fewer homeowners and more multi-family homes have lower response rates.
• Tracts with less Internet access have lower self-response rates.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. Census statistics are used to inform 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. Research has found that Connecticut received $18.7 billion in fiscal year 2017 in federal funding, a number that grows each year. Business decisions – such as where to locate or expand - are also often influenced by data that is provided based on Census counts, and the data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The challenges in achieving a strong response to the 2020 Census have been unprecedented, even as the number of ways responses can be made have expanded. As Connecticut reopens and the importance of a complete count becomes even more evident, increasing our state’s response across all our communities is a priority that will have an impact on Connecticut 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

Town Responses Range from 80% to Less Than 50% in Connecticut

Seven of the state’s small towns, concentrated in northwest Connecticut, also have among the lowest self-response rates in the state. Those communities are Sharon, 45.4%; Washington, 46.3%; North Canaan, 46.6%; Cornwall, 46.9%; Canaan, 48.0%; and Kent, 50.1%. Some of these towns may have either a high number of P.O. Boxes or part-time homes.

Communities with the highest self-response rates include Tolland, 80.2%; Marlborough, 80.0%; Burlington, 79.6%; Orange 79.6%; Granby, 78.9%; Cheshire, 78.4%, Berlin, 78.3%; Simsbury, 78.4% and Glastonbury, 78.2%.

The self-response rate in Connecticut to the 2010 U.S. Census was 69.5%, slightly higher than the national rate of 66.5%. By county so far this year, the strongest response has been in Tolland County (70.7%), followed by Middlesex County (67.8%), Hartford County (66.6%), and New London County (66.1%). The states with the highest response rates thus far are Minnesota (71.3%), Wisconsin (68.7%), and Michigan (68.0%).

Households across the state have received census questionnaires by mail. Those forms can be returned, or the census response can be done on-line, for the first time in the history of the census, or by phone. Invitations to respond to the Census were first sent to households in March, and reminder postcards and correspondence was sent subsequently.

An additional reminder postcard will be sent to households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census. The postcard is scheduled to arrive between July 22 and July 28, a few weeks before census takers are set to begin visiting most households that haven’t responded. Responding now minimizes the need for census takers to visit homes to collect responses in person. The Census Bureau is also mailing a postcard to P.O. Boxes to notify recipients that a census worker may visit their home. It also provides information for completing the census online or by phone. Census takers will begin visiting households that haven’t yet responded in mid- August.

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

The U.S. Census Bureau does not disclose any personal information. 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.