2020 Census deadline approaching

61.8% of Dripping Springs area residents have completed the 2020 Census as of August 24. Across the county, 57.6% have completed the questionnaire and across the state, that number is 59.4%. “There is still time to improve our numbers, and in so doing, ensure that the Dripping Springs community is allotted the funds that our population needs and deserves,” Marilyn Minnaar said, a member of the Hays County Complete Count Census Committee and League of Women Voters of Hays County. The deadline to complete the census is September 30.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are three main reasons the census is important – power, money and information. “The population data collected during the census determines our representation in Congress and also is used by the State of Texas to re-district for political office,” a representative with the U.S. Census Bureau said.

“The data is also used to inform billions of dollars of federal funds that go back annually to the states. The amount of that funding that comes back to Texas and then down to the local level is directly related to the population data. This funding is critical for education programs, including school lunches; healthcare programs; infrastructure and roads; and emergency services, and more,” the U.S. Census Bureau continued.

“Finally, decennial census data is used by both public and private planners to help local communities and industry grow and prosper.”

In tracking the response rate for Dripping Springs, Minnaar points out that the area of the community which has the lowest response rate to date (pictured above—tan color) “is also the most rural and possibly the hardest to reach.”

The Census Bureau adds that “many rural areas have poor internet access, making our online self-response option more challenging. We also have to deliver by hand census packets to households that don’t have a regular mailing address (ex. 123 Maple St., Anytown, USA). If the address is a Ranch Road or County Road, or if they utilize a PO Box, the Census Bureau has to drop off an invitation to respond and questionnaire. That operation was delayed when Covid-19 restrictions were put in place, but that operation has since been completed and selfresponse rates for rural areas is now improving.”

Minnaar says there have been many initiatives throughout the county to increase community awareness of the census, its importance and how to respond. “Many of these efforts have been complicated by the pandemic and some early in-person library events had to be canceled and efforts switched to online communication,” she said.

With the deadline nearing, Census takers are currently visiting households in Hays County and Dripping Springs that have not yet responded. “These field data collection efforts will continue until Sept. 30 or until all households have been visited and completed their census questionnaires,” Minaar said.

Those who have not yet responded to the census can visit www.2020census.gov or respond by phone at 844-330-2020 for English and 844-468-2020 for Spanish.