FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 9, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: press@census.ca.gov 916-214-9266 (cell)
*PRESS RELEASE*
Census Week Efforts Push CA to 46.1% Household Self-Response Rate
SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Census 2020 Campaign announced that Census responses jumped 9.1 percentage points during Census week – an estimated 1.36 million households self-responded to the Census form. According to self-response data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau from March 30 – April 5, also known as Census Week, rates moved for California as a result of a coordinated outreach campaign.
On April 1 alone, Census responses increased 3 percentage points – about 435,000 California households responded to the Census form on Census Day. So far, 46.1% of California households have self-responded to the Census (an estimated 6.9 million households). California has the greatest number of households responding to the Census form compared to other states.
The California Census Campaign is working with more than 120 partners including local governments, Tribal Governments, K-12 schools, County Offices of Education, community-based organizations, state agencies and departments, faith-based organizations, labor unions, small businesses, ethnic and mainstream media outlets and others.
“We understand there is still more work to be done to make sure all Californians, especially those who are hard to count, fill out their questionnaire. We are proud of the work are partners are doing to push these self-response rates,” said Ditas Katague, Director of the California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office. “We’d like to remind everyone that filling out the Census form will help bring needed representation and resources in California’s diverse communities.”
The confidential, simple 9-question Census questionnaire can be completed quickly online at my2020census.gov and by phone in English at 844-330-2020, other languages are available below. This week, the U.S. Census Bureau will be sending the paper form to households that haven’t responded to the Census.
2020 Data:
| Overall | Household Self-Response Rate –3/30 (Census Week) | Household Self-Response Rate – 4/5 (Census Week) | Household Self-Response Rate (4/6 – Current Data) |
| California | 35.7% | 44.8% | 46.1% |
| National | 36.2% | 45.1% | 46.2% |
For reference, on April 30, 2010, the end of the 2010 Census “self-response phase,” California’s final 2010 Self-Response Rate was 68.2%.
Learn more about California’s self-response rates at census.ca.gov and click on “self-response rates” on the homepage and for national response rates, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau here.
What Californians Need to Know About the 2020 Census:
- The Census is a simple, confidential 9 question survey
- Questions include name, address, sex, race, ethnicity, age, and whether you own or rent the home
- Californians should self-identify in regard to race, ethnicity and gender
- Make sure you count everyone in your home, including any friends or family members who are living and sleeping there most of the time
- The Census Bureau will never ask about your citizenship status, or for sensitive information like your social security number, bank accounts, or payments/donations
- The Census Bureau will never reach out to you on behalf of a political party
- Your responses to the Census are protected by law and cannot be shared with, or used by, any other government agencies. Answers cannot be used for law enforcement purposes, to determine eligibility for government benefits or immigration enforcement
- For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit org.
Why California’s Participation Counts: Ensuring every California household participates in the Census is critically important. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Census determines how billions of dollars of federal funding are distributed to each state every year for education resources, affordable housing programs, nutrition and health care services, and more. Estimates show that for every person uncounted, California could lose $1,000 a year for 10 years. That’s as much as $10,000 per person in funds lost over the next decade.
The Census also determines the state’s political representation through the number of representatives in the U.S. Congress and the California State Legislature. Participating in the Census can help ensure Californians’ voices are heard in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
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The California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office
Once each decade, the U.S. Census Bureau attempts to count every person in the United States. California leaders have invested $187.2 million toward a statewide outreach and communication campaign. For more information, please go to https://californiacensus.org/.
FILL OUT THE FORM BY PHONE:
| LANGUAGE LINE | TOLL-FREE NUMBER |
| English | 844-330-2020 |
| Spanish | 844-468-2020 |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 844-391-2020 |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 844-398-2020 |
| Vietnamese | 844-461-2020 |
| Korean | 844-392-2020 |
| Russian | 844-417-2020 |
| Arabic | 844-416-2020 |
| Tagalog | 844-478-2020 |
| Polish | 844-479-2020 |
| French | 844-494-2020 |
| Haitian Creole | 844-477-2020 |
| Portuguese | 844-474-2020 |
| Japanese | 844-460-2020 |
| Telephone Display Device (TDD) | 844-467-2020 |
All lines provide live customer service representative support providing information about the 2020 Census and assistance with the questionnaire.
- Callers to the English and Spanish language lines will be routed through the Interactive Voice Response system prior to being transferred to a customer service representative.
- Callers to all other language lines will be greeted in that language by a customer service representative.
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