Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The 2020 Census is winding down. Warren County Complete Count Chairman Dan Glotz is encouraging all households to respond online at 2020census.gov, by calling (844) 330-2020, or by returning a paper form through the mail.

The 2020 Census is underway and the deadline to respond is just over a week away.

A little over 60 percent of Warren County households have responded.

According to 2020census.gov, the statewide response rate is 68.8. The county’s rate is 62.3.

The rate is higher than that of the previous census. The county response rate in 2010 was 60.4 percent.

“We are asking that all people take a moment to fill out the Census form either online, by phone or returning the paper form in the mail,” Warren County Complete Count Chairman Dan Glotz said. “The census plays an important role in many ways, from voting representation in Washington D.C. to funding for schools, hospitals, roads and programs such as WIC, Medicare, Medicaid, Meals on Wheels, HEAP, SNAP, and the school lunch program to name a few. These are programs that are important to Warren County residents. The county should strive to achieve a 100 percent return rate.”

The county has a way to go.

“There are some parts of the county where the response has been exceptional,” Glotz said. “There are other parts where it has lagged.”

Information including the rate of response by state, county, and even municipality is available through 2020census.gov.

Youngsville Borough had a 77.6 percent response rate. Pine Grove Township had 77 percent. Others above 70 percent were Glade Township at 75.6, Pleasant Township at 73.6, Conewango Township at 73.5, and Columbus Township at 70.7.

The City of Warren had a response rate of 68 percent.

According to that site, only 12.2 percent of households in Limestone Township had reported as of Monday.

Other townships under 50 percent included Cherry Grove at 25.2, Deerfield at 27.6, Spring Creek at 44.2,Watson at 46.3, and Eldred at 48.8.

There is still some time.

“The Census Bureau began sending a seventh mailing, including a paper questionnaire, in late August and through early September to the lowest-responding census tracts,” Glotz said. “And, the Census Bureau recently announced that households in low-responding areas would be receiving emails to encourage response to the 2020 Census. The emails will go to all households that the Census Bureau has contact information for in census block groups with a response rate lower than 50 percent. This will include households who may have already responded.

“The email messages will come from 2020census@subscriptions.census.gov and will give recipients the option to opt out of receiving future messages,” he said. “The Census Bureau is using email addresses that households have provided in response to another Census Bureau program, or received from states (such as from their WIC, SNAP or TANF programs) or from a commercial list.”

“In addition to contacting households through these new methods, the Census Bureau is increasing other outreach efforts during one last push to encourage everyone to respond to the census online, by phone or by mail,” Glotz said. “The Census Bureau recently announced that it has launched Mobile Questionnaire Assistance, a program that offers assistance with responding at locations, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, in low-responding areas.”

“It’s not too late to respond to the census online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by returning their paper form in the mail,” Glotz said. “We do have until the end of this month.”