By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
While Oxford focuses on the COVID-19 crisis with the rest of the world, local and state leaders are urging citizens to find a small amount of time to complete the 2020 Census as soon as possible.
As of last week, Oxford was 14.5 percent below the state average in completed forms and behind other state college towns.
Starkville had 45 percent of its population fill out the census and Hattiesburg was at a 46.1 response rate. Oxford had 33.9 percent of its citizens completed the form as of April 20.
Lafayette County as a whole is also behind other similar-sized counties. Forest County had 49.2 percent of its population respond to the census while Oktibbeha had a 42.9 response rate. Lafayette’s response rate was 39.7 percent last week.
Madison had the highest response rate at 67.2 percent as of last Monday.
“The U.S. Census is so very critical for our community,” Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said recently. “We’ve got to get these census forms filled out. It takes less than 3 minutes to complete. Especially with a crisis like we have now where we will be trying to secure federal funds, it’s so important that our numbers be accurate.”
The deadline for the 2020 Census has been moved to August.
The census occurs every 10 years.
According to Gov. Tate Reeves, in 2010, more than 265,000 Mississippi residents were not counted which resulted in more than $13 billion dollars the state missed out on from federal sources.
For every person not counted, the state will be shortchanged by about $50,000 over the next 10 years, according to Reeves.
“For example, if there are four people living in your house, and you account for those four people, they represent on average $200,000 in federal funding Mississippi will get over the next 10 years for roads, bridges, schools, medical programs and support for children,” Reeves said recently. “On top of funding, we must make sure our full population is counted so we have proper representation in our federal and state government.”
The household count should include anyone living at the residence on April 1, 2020, and include all adults, children, babies, foster children and non-relatives.
This is the first year that U.S. Citizens can fill out the Census online. Census forms were mailed out to each household in March. The Census can also be completed by phone by calling 844-330-2020.
For more information, visit https://mscensus2020.org/.
