Millions On The Line: 2020 Census Continues In Madison

MADISON, NJ - With a little more than three months remain to turn in their replies, 74.8 percent of Madison households have self-responded to the 2020 U.S. Census, according to early data from the bureau.

At multiple points over the last few months Governor Phil Murphy has spoken about the importance of an accurate census at his daily coronavirus briefings, highlighting that all nine million Garden State residents need to be accurately counted.

"In 2010 New Jersey left untold billions of dollars in federal aid on the table, "he said, noting that both federal and state governments use that data to make financial decisions on aid.

“If that money isn’t coming to New Jersey, it’s going to some other state,” Murphy said.

New Jersey’s overall self-response rate stood at 64 percent as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Census database. The national response rate was 62 percent.

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States. It’s mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and takes place every 10 years.

The census is important for several reasons, officials say. Here are a few, according to census.gov:

• It determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries
• Census results help determine federal funding for critical needs such as roads, schools, health care, emergency services and housing
• Businesses use the data to help decide where to open new locations

Want to self-respond to the 2020 census? It can be completed online here. It can also be completed via phone or mail (learn more here).

Due to the coronavirus crisis, people have until Oct. 31 to self-respond this year.

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