According to the United States Census website, local households have completed their census forms at a higher rate than both the state and nation. The website, 2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html, ranks Michigan as the third highest responding in the nation, with a response percentage as 67.8 percent. Only Minnesota (71%) and Wisconsin (68.5%) have a higher response rate than Michigan.
The national self-response rate, as of June 18, was 61.5 percent
Locally, Oxford Township has a self-response rate of 82.6 percent. According to the website, in 2010 the township’s response rate was 78 percent. Oxford Village in 2010 had a response rate of 75.2 percent, this year residents have kicked up their action a little, with a rate of 78.7 percent.
The site shows Addison Township’s self-response rate is 74.5 percent (73% in 2010); Leonard Village’s rate is 71.9 percent (ten years ago the rate was 81.6%).
According to the website, “As of today (June 12), over 90 million households have responded to the 2020 Census, with over four in five households doing so online. People can still respond on their own online, over the phone or by mail — all without having to meet a census taker.”
Online, phone and mailed self-responses continue throughout the data collection process, as of now, ends Oct. 31. From Oct. through April 30, 2021, the government will tabulate the numbers. By the end of July, 2021, “Census Bureau experts run and review programs to populate any missing demographic data for each household, run differential privacy programs to ensure confidentiality and run tabulation programs for each state delivery” for redistricting.
According to Michigan Nonprofit Association, a non-partisan membership organization, without an accurate census count, Michigan stands to lose millions of dollars in federal support for programs that use census data. Specifically:
l Census data is used by public officials to determine the federal distribution of funds for programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and MIChild; food assistance programs including free and reduced school lunches; education funding for special education, Head Start and Title 1; and funding for roads and bridges.
l An inaccurate census count would result in the historically undercounted populations relying more heavily on nonprofit organizations for services.
l The state also is at risk of losing a Congressional seat in Washington, D.C., which would reduce Michigan’s number of Electoral College votes.
Completing the census can be done online, over the phone or by mail. In-person visits from census field workers have been delayed until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Don Rush

  2020 Census