Wyoming behind U.S. in census participation

There is still time for households to send back their 2010 Census questionnaire.  The U.S. Census Bureau is encouraging all households that have not returned their census form to get it in the mail by April 16.  

Census workers are about to begin non-response follow-up, which involves visiting housing units that have not returned a census questionnaire.  Households that mail back their census form this week diminish the likelihood of a census worker coming to their door.  The follow-up operation will begin May 1 and end Aug. 27. The U.S. Census Bureau will still accept forms in the coming weeks, but households may still be visited by a census worker.

For households that did not receive a questionnaire, or if a person feels they were left off their household’s form, they can pick-up questionnaire from a Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC) or Be Counted site.  These sites are open until April 19.  People can also call 1-866-872-6868 to get a form sent to them  (Spanish: 1-866-928-2010).

A list of QACs and Be Counted sites in Wyoming

Wyoming is currently trailing the national Census 2010 mail participation rate.  As of Wednesday, April 14, Wyoming’s mail back participation rate was 64 percent, the U.S. 67 percent.  Wyoming counties that currently have the highest mail participation rate include Laramie, Sweetwater, Park and Washakie.  The counties on the lower end of the mail participation rate spectrum include Sublette, Teton, Carbon and Lincoln.  Wyoming is also falling behind the mail participation rates of surrounding states, such as Colorado, Nebraska, Idaho, South Dakota and Utah.   

You can track the Census 2010 mail participation rate for your community on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Take 10 Map, which is updated daily Monday-Friday, here.