Newsroom Archive

     The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that 74 percent of households in the United States filled out and mailed back their 2010 Census questionnaire, matching the final mail participation rate achieved in the 2000 Census. Twenty-two states, 1,553 counties, and 278 cities and townships of 50,000 or more met or exceeded their 2000 Census participation rates. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also exceeded their rates.

     The final 74 percent mail participation rate includes an additional 2 percent of households that mailed back their forms after April 27, when the U.S. Census Bureau announced a 72 percent participation rate. While these forms were received too late to prevent a visit by a census taker, they were included in the final tally.

     “We are very pleased with the public's response to the 2010 Census, and these results demonstrate that the public stepped up to be counted,” Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said.

     Approximately 47 million households that did not mail back a census form by the deadline were visited by census takers in person as part of a series of operations and methods to ensure as complete a count as possible. The Census Bureau either received a form or attempted repeated visits to 100 percent of the identified housing units in the country.

     “As the law requires, we look forward to reporting to the nation by Dec. 31 the national and state populations as well as the allocation of seats to each state in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Groves said.

     The final mail participation rates for the nation, states, counties, cities, towns and even the neighborhood level can now be found on the 2010 Census Web site (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/2010textview.php).

     Below are the 20 highest mail participation rates among cities with populations of 100,000 or more, based on 2008 population estimates.

Highest Mail Participation Rates: Cities with Populations Over 100,000