The Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center has analyzed the latest participation rates from the 2010 decennial census to help outreach groups understand what areas are not fully being counted and why. The census aims to count everyone, but historical returns show that some areas are counted more fully than others.
The results show the general trend that the larger the minority population, the less Census participation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 9, 2010
To: Reporters covering the 2010 Census
Fr: Funders Census Initiative (FCI)
Re: Analysis of latest Census participation rates as of April 6 by race/Hispanic origin and other variables
For further information:
Steven Romalewski (CUNY), 212-817-2033, SRomalewski@gc.cuny.edu
Terri Ann Lowenthal (FCI), 203-353-4364, TerriAnn2K@aol.com
The Center for Urban Research at the City University of New York Graduate Center has analyzed 2010 Census “participation rates” through the second week of the Mail-out/Mail-back operation by key variables, including race and Hispanic origin (ethnicity), using its Census 2010 Hard To Count Interactive Mapping Website (www.CensusHardToCountMaps.org).
The full analysis on the progress of participation through Week 2 of the mail operation (April 6) is attached. Key findings include:
- Counties with higher percentages of White population have higher participation rates, on average, than counties with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic populations.
- Within counties, the correlation between greater percentages of Black population and lower participation rates is even stronger. At the census tract level, higher percentages of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asian Americans all were associated with lower participation rates.
- Several major cities stood out from these trends. For example, the association between higher percent Black population at the tract level and lower participation was much stronger in cities such as St. Louis, Boston, and Oakland (CA), while much weaker in cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Georgia.
- Detroit stood out altogether. Participation rates in Detroit tended to be lower in tracts with a greater percentage of Whites, and higher in tracts with a greater percentage of Blacks.
- In three cities with substantial Hispanic populations (Miami; Newark, NJ; and New York), higher percentages of Hispanics at the tract level were associated with higherparticipation rates.
The analysis continues to track the correlation between tract level hard-to-count (HTC) scores and mail response. The Center’s analysis through Week 1 of the mail-out/mail-back operation is posted at www.urbanresearch.org/news/resources/census2010participation.
The Mail-out/Mail-back phase ends on April 19; after that, the Census Bureau will begin to compile the addresses that census takers must visit in the massive door-to-door operation (Nonresponse Follow-Up), scheduled for May 1 – July 10. The Census Bureau might be able to remove some “late mail returns” received in the last week of April from the lists to be used in Nonresponse Follow-Up but cannot guarantee that census takers will not visit those households.
For a full report, click below.
