Allegheny, Westmoreland surpass 2010 census response rates

Despite months of uncertainty surrounding the end date for the census, self-response rates in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties have surpassed 2010 rates.

According to a census map, about 72% of people have responded in Allegheny County compared to 71.3% of people a decade ago, while 73.1% of people in Westmoreland County have responded compared to 71.6% in 2010. In surrounding counties, Butler saw the largest increase, with 76.1% of people self-responding compared to 73.8% in 2010.

“The momentum is strong and our goal is to ensure everyone in Pennsylvania is counted once, and only once, and in the right place,” said Susan Licate, census spokeswoman. “We continue to work with our complete count committees and community partners to ensure everyone is counted. … This is an opportunity for everyone to shape their future.”

Still, with less than a month left to respond to the survey that determines the number of congressional seats per state and how federal funds are spent, the self-response rate for Pennsylvania is trailing behind 2010 rates. According to the map, 69.4% of Pennsylvanians have self-responded compared to 70.2% in 2010, the map shows.

Another 30.4% of people, however, were counted by enumerators, or census workers who conduct in-person counts of people who have not yet filled out the census. In all 99.8% of households in the state have been counted, according to the census website.

Those response rates come after months of uncertainty surrounding an accurate count, which was largely upended this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Door-to-door efforts scheduled for May 13 through July 31 were stymied as measures were taken to help curb the spread of the virus, leading members of the Census Bureau in April to ask Congress for an extension. The four-month request, or 120 days, would have meant the White House would receive counts by April 30, 2021, rather than Dec. 31.

But, in August, Census Bureau officials seemingly upended that request when they announced they were cutting short in-person counting efforts, moving the deadline from Oct. 31 to Sept. 30. The move sent communities across the nation scrambling as they worked to reach hard-to-count populations.

Days before that deadline, however, a federal judge in California barred the Trump administration from cutting efforts a month short. That meant counting efforts had to continue through Oct. 31. The judge reiterated the importance of keeping the October deadline after Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said the 2020 census would end Oct. 5.

When the September ruling was issued, local leaders working to obtain a complete count expressed relief at the additional time.

“We’re going to keep going and going until we’re told to stop,” Gregg Behr, co-chair of the Allegheny County Complete Count Committee, said at the time. “The really great news is that, in terms of the self-response rates for Allegheny County, we’ve exceeded the 2010 level. We’re certainly not stopping because we’ve reached this mark, but it feels good given all the asteroids thrown at us since the very beginning of this census count.”

Licate, who is based out of the Census Bureau’s Philadelphia regional center, reminded residents that census counts supports infrastructure, helps determine funding for hospitals, libraries, schools and health care clinics while also funding community programs and supporting police, fire, EMS, public housing and public transportation.

Those who have not yet responded can do so online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020 or through mail.

“We remind Pennsylvanians that the time to respond is now,” Licate said.