2020 Census Response Rate In Prince William County
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — The 2020 census is underway, and residents of Prince William County and other counties and cities across Virginia are responding to the federally mandated questionnaire even as the new coronavirus pandemic prompts U.S. Census Bureau officials to suspend field operations through mid-April.
According to the Census Bureau’s self-response map, 41.2 percent of Prince William County households have responded to this year’s census either online, by phone or by mail. The county's response so far is slightly higher than the entire state, where 40.3 percent of residents have responded to the census.
The 2020 census kicked off March 12, and most households in our state were to receive invitations and information by March 20 on how to complete this year’s questionnaire.
As of March 31, 34.7 percent of households nationwide have responded to this year’s census, according to the self-response map.
The U.S. Census Bureau designated April 1 as Census Day, a key reference date for the 2020 census, not a deadline. "When you respond, you'll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020, and include everyone who usually lives and sleeps in your home," the Census Bureau said. "You can respond before or after that date. We encourage you to respond as soon as you can."
Today is Census Day! Help us spread the word about the importance of the #2020Census. Make this image your profile picture or post it on your timeline and make sure to tell your friends to complete to the census today at https://t.co/nzqhoc1xHM! pic.twitter.com/3zQOxssgFI
— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) April 1, 2020
The U.S. Census map, which shows the percentage of people who have responded by state, county or city, is updated daily.
Last week, Census Bureau officials said they were suspending all field operations until April 15 amid concerns over the growing coronavirus pandemic. Officials previously announced they were suspending field operations until April 1.
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“The Census Bureau is taking this step to help protect the health and safety of the American public, Census Bureau employees, and everyone who will go through the hiring process for temporary census taker positions,” officials said in a statement.
Census officials are encouraging Americans to respond to the decennial survey online, a first for the census. In a move designed to cut costs and keep up with digital lifestyles, the census questionnaire is available at my2020census.gov. Americans can access the online questionnaire by using a 12-digit ID code included with their census invitation sent by mail.
Census takers will begin in late May to visit households that have not yet responded to the questionnaire. Officials said they plan to monitor the evolving coronavirus outbreak and adjust census taker operations if necessary and accordingly.
The 2020 Census counts everyone living in the United States and its five territories. Learn more about how to respond to this year’s census.
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This article originally appeared on the Manassas Patch
