CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Recent door-to-door efforts to collect Census information have significantly improved West Virginia’s response to the 10-year count.
While the “self-response” rate to the Census in West Virginia was just more than 55%, one of the lowest rates in the nation, the success of the recent door-to-door campaign has boosted the response rate to 84.5 percent.
“We’re the second highest in the nation,” Gov. Jim Justice said, addressing state residents at his media briefing last Friday. “You absolutely make me smile. You make me happy. I’m proud of what you’ve done.”
The U.S. Census Household Response ranking has Idaho number one followed by West Virginia, Washington, Connecticut and Illinois the top five. A report shows 29.1% of West Virginia’s count has come in the follow-up personal contact category.
The new response rate is 10% higher than the response to the 2010 Census.
The Census Bureau chose a handful of states, including West Virginia, for an early start to its door-to-door efforts, about three in 10 households in the state were expected to be counted that way.
Justice has used his coronavirus media briefings to urge residents to participate in the Census. The self-response rate moved some in recent weeks but not as much as the door-to-door efforts.
Meanwhile, several counties have improved or are close to improving their 2010 response rate.
Andy Malinoski, communications director for the state Department of Commerce, said 10 counties have crossed over their overall response rate from the previous Census.
“We also have 20 counties that are within five percent,” he said.
According to Malinoski, Clay County (45.6% response rate) Tucker County (41.1%), Mercer County (52.0%), Lincoln County (43.8%), and Pocahontas County (24.8%) have crossed over or within 5% of their overall 2010 response rate.
“Those were counties where we have placed additional emphasis on to increase response rates,” he said.
Malinoski also mentioned Boone County, 50.6% response rate as a county that is already above its 2010 Census rate.
The self-response deadline is Sept. 30. Malinoski told state Census Commission members in a Friday email that they needed to continue their efforts during the response period.
“Other states will make progress until the end of the response period. We need to keep pushing, to keep this West Virginia success story going,” Malinoski said.
Justice said the participation is linked to federal funding for the next decade. He said everyone must be counted.
“For 10 years it will be an impactful, positive, positive event for West Virginia,” Justice said.
MetroNews reporter Jake Flatley contributed to this story.