Note: This sentence has been revised: “The U.S. Census Bureau is beginning to send reminder notice postcards to an estimated 55 million households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census”. Please disregard the previous version of this tip sheet.

APRIL 27, 2020 — The U.S. Census Bureau is beginning to send reminder notice postcards to an estimated 55 million households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census. About 53.4% of households across the country have already responded since invitations began arriving in mailboxes on March 12. Those households that have not yet responded to the census will receive an in person visit by a census taker to collect their information later this summer.  

According to the Census Bureau’s online response map tracking the nation’s participation in the census, almost 79 million households have already responded online, by phone or by mail. 

Some areas where census takers were originally going to personally hand deliver forms will now receive a letter in the mail from the Census Bureau reminding them to participate, including many households in Puerto Rico. Even if households don’t receive a letter in the mail, the Census Bureau will drop off a census invitation and paper form as soon as it is safe to do so. Census takers will also follow up with all households that do not respond on their own.

States with the highest response rate include, (top five states):

• Minnesota      64.0%
• Iowa                 61.2%
• Wisconsin       60.8%
• Nebraska         60.7%
• Michigan         60.0%

Counties with 250,000 or more population with the highest response rate include (top five counties):

• Washington County, Minnesota         73.6%
• Anoka County, Minnesota                  72.9%
• Waukesha County, Wisconsin            72.5%
• Dakota County, Minnesota                 71.8%
• Macomb County, Michigan                70.2%

The Census Bureau strongly encourages the public to respond online at 2020census.gov. Households can respond online in English or 12 other languages or by phone. Households can also respond by mail using the paper questionnaire that was recently mailed to every non-responding address. Households that received a census invitation in the mail and have yet to respond will receive a paper questionnaire by April 30.

Households will receive another reminder postcard in the mail between April 27-May 9. The Census Bureau pushed back this mailing to allow the paper questionnaire package to arrive several days ahead of the postcard. The postcard is one reminder in a series of reminders that the Census Bureau has mailed nonresponding households since mid-March urging them to respond. Census takers will visit every address that does not respond on their own to collect responses in person. Responding now to the 2020 Census will minimize the need for a census taker to visit your home later this year. For more information, visit 2020census.gov.

No news release associated with this announcement. Tip Sheet only.

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