Census returns continue climbing despite pandemic

Despite a global pandemic, Iowans are continuing to fill out and report their census for 2020.

Media specialist for Iowa of the U.S. Census Bureau Maureen Schriner said the 2010 census rate for self-reporting in Iowa was 73 percent. As of July 24, 68.4 percent of Iowans have filled out the census.

'While Iowa has over 68 percent responding that means about one in three households has yet to respond,” Schriner said.

Washington County's self-response rate is currently at 69.3 percent, Jefferson County's self-response rate is currently at 65.3 percent, and Henry County's is currently at 71 percent.

Schriner said the most important thing is that Iowans know there are many opportunties to respond to the census safely: by phone, online, by mail, and reporting to a census worker that comes to your home. 53.9 percent of Iowans as of July 24 have responded online.

Schriner said those wanting to respond online can go to 2020Census.gov

To respond by phone, call 844-330-2020. Phone lines are open 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Central time, seven days a week.

Postcards will be arriving July 22-28 to households that have not responded yet. Beginning Aug. 11, census workers will begin visiting in-person at households that have not self responded to the census.

Originally, Schriner said, the census data was going to end July 31. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline has been extended to Oct. 31.

She said groups that tend not to respond – and who have been historically undercounted – include renters, people with low incomes and ethnic and racial minorities.