Massachusetts is currently ranked 20th in the nation for 2020 Census self-response rates, which just hit 64.4 percent statewide, about two percent higher than the national average.
Franklin and Easthampton lead the Commonwealth’s cities with response rates higher than 77 percent, while Boston and Worcester lag behind with response rates around 52 percent. Although Massachusetts is not at high risk for losing a Congressional representative, Census data is used to calculate the proportion of federal funding that communities get for important programs including human services.
The Census Bureau began in-person enumeration this July in Massachusetts, visiting households that have not self-reported. The White House, however, has instructed the Census Bureau to withdraw a request for an extension to report data to Congress, meaning that it may have less time to count households that have not self-reported.
The Providers’ Council maintains a map, updated weekly, showing Census self-response rate in counties and cities statewide, which you can view here.
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