Tioga County is participating in the 2020 Census PUSH WEEK, which is a regional challenge running from
July 27 to August 2 to see which counties will achieve the highest response rate in the 2020 Census. It is a way to encourage our residents to complete and submit their 2020 Census forms.
The population count that results from the 2020 Census will determine how the federal government will allocate hundreds of billion dollars funding annually to our critical community needs. Services funded include road repair, healthcare investment, childcare, education including local school districts and higher education, emergency response and telecommunications technology, among many others.
As of this printing, Tioga County’s 2020 Census response rate is nearly 67%. In 2000, the County’s total final response rate was 76%, and in 2010 the response rate increased to 83%. County Legislative Chair Martha Sauerbrey states, “The 2020 Census is easy, safe and important. If you have not done so yet, please take 10 minutes to answer 10 questions that will benefit Tioga County for the next 10 years.”
Tioga County Department of Economic Development & Planning Director, LeeAnn Tinney states, “An accurate Census count is very important for the future economic vitality of Tioga County. Businesses refer to Census data to research in which locationsto make future private investment decisions. It is imperative that Census data accurately reflect our community and show attractiveness to potential investors that would benefit Tioga County.”
Additionally, Census workers will start visiting homes by street address on or about August 11 to assist households that have not yet completed and submitted a form to do so at this visit. If you want to avoid a visit from a government worker at your home, the best way is to go online or call the Census Bureau to complete a form for your address / household. Completed forms are posted immediately by address, so the Census Bureau has a real time and up to date list of addresses they need to visit.
Tioga County’s Complete Count Committee has been promoting response to the 2020 Census since July of 2019. Although not corresponding with PUSH Week, on August 5 the Complete Count Committee will be conducting a text-banking event to reach residents in lower-response rate ZIP Codes in Tioga County, encouraging them to respond to the 2020 Census for their households. This event is sponsored by New York Counts 2020 and facilitated by Census Counts.
