Contact: Public Information Office
(301) 763-3691
A number of counties and cities across the country have already matched or exceeded their Census 2000 rates (see: http://2010.census.gov/news/xls/match_surpassed_4-16.xls [Excel] for the full list).
"If you mail back your 2010 Census today you can ensure that your household is counted," U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said. Households that normally pick up their mail from a post office box are already slated for in-person follow-up from census workers.
The rates for all states, counties, places, towns and townships are updated each afternoon through April 23 at 4:00 p.m. on the Take 10 Challenge Map (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/). A final rate will be announced May 3.
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.