More N.C. residents being counted in census

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina residents are doing a better job at being counted in the 2010 census than they did 10 years ago, census officials said Tuesday.

Each of the state's 100 counties has met or topped the rate at which of residents mailed in their 2000 census forms, making it one of the few states nationwide with a boost in early participation in the current population count.

The average increase in 2010 census participation is 12.9 percent, officials said, with 66 counties increasing their participation by at least 10 percent.

Seven counties had a 79 percent mail-in rate, including Chatham and Person counties, while Avery County had the lowest participation statewide at 63 percent.

Wake County's mail-in rate was 76 percent, while Orange County's was 78 percent, Johnston County's was 75 percent, Durham County's was 72 percent and Cumberland County's was 70 percent.

The door-to-door segment of the census, in which workers try to contact households that didn't mail in their census forms, begins Saturday. The Census Bureau estimates that 48 million households nationwide will be visited by a census taker during this segment, which runs through July 10.

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Latest Comments

"You know, if you don't answer the question, the census takers will ask your neighbors."

My neighbors only answered question #1 just like me. They will not be answerig the door either......

ncguy71
April 27, 2010 4:48 p.m.

Our gov't is required to count everyone.

Will YOU help reduce gov't costs?

42 cents = cost if you mail back the census form

$57 DOLLARS = cost to send a census taker door-to-door to collect the same information if don't mail the form

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/about/whole.php

So...here's your chance for a more efficient government. Mail that puppy in. I mean, do you really want someone knocking on your door?...several times? Are you that starved for attention? ;-)

JustOneGodLessThanU
April 27, 2010 4:21 p.m.

The aren't volunteers. They are paid census workers.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
April 27, 2010 4:04 p.m.

"The door-to-door segment of the census, in which volunteers try to contact households that didn't mail in their census forms, begins Saturday."

Does WRAL even do basic fact checking anymore? Volunteers? That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. Of course they aren't volunteers, they are temporary Federal employees.

timmytim
April 27, 2010 3:51 p.m.

if you have any questions - call the Census and don't take advice from Duke fans:

If you have questions about the questionnaire, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at one of the numbers listed below. The phone lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week from February 25, 2010 through July 30, 2010.

* English 1-866-872-6868 * Spanish 1-866-928-2010 * Chinese 1-866-935-2010 * Korean 1-866-955-2010 * Vietnamese 1-866-945-2010 * Russian 1-866-965-2010

For the hearing-impaired, TDD 1-866-783-2010

corey3rd
April 27, 2010 3:46 p.m.