Participating in the 2020 Complete Count Census is More Important Than Ever

APRIL 1, 2020

Jefferson City — April 1st is Census Day. These are challenging times, and while taking part in the 2020 Census may not currently be at the top of your list, responses to the 2020 Census are more important than ever.

The emergency funding Missouri is receiving for the COVID-19 pandemic is allotted to the state based on census population data. In order to be adequately funded, Missouri must first be adequately counted.

Missourians are responding at a higher rate than the rest of the country. To date, 40.5 percent of Missouri households have responded to the census, compared to a national response rate of 38.4 percent, but the state can do even better.

“Nearly every day, people in Missouri ask me what they can do to assist during this COVID-19 crisis,” said Governor Mike Parson. “One of the easiest things people can do to help is to make sure they respond to the 2020 Census.”

This year, the 2020 Census website, My2020Census.gov, offers those participating in the census the opportunity to respond online. Missourians who do not wish to respond online can respond by phone. The Census Bureau will send a mail-in form to those who fail to respond by internet or phone.

“It’s really easy to respond,” Governor Parson said. “We really need the City of St. Louis and our rural counties to show up by any means possible: internet, phone, or mail.”

Currently, the top 10 Missouri counties responding to the 2020 Complete Count Census and their overall response rates are:

For more information about the Missouri 2020 Complete Count Census or to respond online, visit: https://census.mo.gov/

For an online interactive map of state-by-state census response rates, visit: https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html?#