The Census Bureau now provides a running total of the 2011 participation rates so far for states, counties, tribal reservations, and cities. The website also shows the participation rate* of each jurisdiction so far, with a comparison to its final 2000 Census participation rate. The data changes dramatically everyday as more census forms are returned.
The current national participation rate is 46% (as of March 29th). The website lists the top five participating states. Currently the leader is South Dakota at 58%, followed by North Dakota (57%), Nebraska (57%), Iowa (54%), and Wisconsin (54%).
Currently, there are six locations with 100% participation rates: Ayr City (North Dakota), Badger City (South Dakota), Buchanan City (North Dakota), Chest Springsborough (Pennsylvania), Grandin City (North Dakota), and Wolford City (North Dakota). Â The Bureau hopes the map will create competition between various states, counties, and cities, thus encouraging more citizens to complete and mail in their Census form.
So far, California’s participation rate of 44% is 2% lower than the nation as a whole. In the 2000 Census, California’s participation rate of 73% was 1% higher than the national rate. Return rates in the larger counties are in the 40s so far, such as San Diego at 46%, Los Angeles at 42%, Orange at 45% and San Francisco at 43%. Most California counties are also in the range of 41-50%.  Inyo County has the highest participation rate so far at 56%, while eleven counties are at 40% or lower. Alpine (12%) and Mono (18%) have the lowest participation rates in California, though Imperial, Calaveras, Lake, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Trinity, and Humboldt are all in the 21-40% range.
*Click here for the Census Bureau’s definition of participation.
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