Texarkana - Let's Get That Census Done

Hey Texarkana residents, you still have a few months to complete the U.S. census form, but the sooner you get done it done the better.

The United States census is conducted every ten years and aims to count every person in the U.S. While, some Texarkana residents have completed their census forms, there are many who haven’t. Participation is needed from every person to get a complete count.

According to information available at 2020Census.gov, just over 55% of Texas residents had completed the form as of this week, falling short of the national rate of nearly 61%. The response rate in Texarkana is the same, at 55%, which means that nearly half of local residents have not responded.

According to the Press Release, the response in each state, county, and city is used to determine the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funding each year across the nation. An undercount of the Texarkana population would mean less money for health care, education, and nutrition, as well as other local needs like fire departments, roads, housing, and more. With the unknown long-term impact of the pandemic and high unemployment, it is important Texarkana gets its fair share of federal funds.

Census counts also help determine the number of seats the state is allotted in the U.S. House of Representatives, and if state and local legislative districts need to be adjusted or redrawn.

Census data also can be valuable to business owners who might use it to determine where to open new stores, restaurants, offices or other business operations based on population growth and trends and understand what services are needed.

Answers provided in the census are used only to produce data about our nation, and the U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to keep the information you provide confidential. The Bureau is prevented from releasing any of your personal information to law enforcement, and answers will not impact eligibility to receive government benefits.

If you haven't done yours yet please complete it today and encourage others to do the same.

Completing the census is easier than ever-- for the first time, households have been encouraged to respond digitally. Residents can visit my2020census.gov to fill out the form online.

For help responding to the census, customer service representatives are available every day.