Local census response rate low - Orleans far below showing for 2000

Michelle Krupa
The Times-Picayune
October 22, 2010

While nearly three-quarters of households in Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes filled out and mailed back their 2010 Census questionnaires, response rates in Orleans and St. Bernard parishes lagged below 50 percent, U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday shows.

The low rate is likely a function of the huge number of vacant homes in Katrina's flood zone.

Response rates in other local parishes hovered around the statewide rate of 65 percent. Nationally, 74 percent of households mailed back their forms, the agency reported.

According to the Census, some 47 million households across the country did not mail back a form by late April, prompting officials to dispatch census takers to visit the addresses and attempt to figure out how many people live there.

Neither that process, nor "Be Counted" forms submitted by households that didn't receive a questionnaire, were among the figures released Thursday. Those numbers will be included in the final head count, which officials are expected to announce by mid-2011.

The low response rates in places hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina did not surprise Allison Plyer of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center.

Owing to the bureau's unprecedented effort this year to hand-deliver forms to all inhabitable addresses in the New Orleans metropolitan area, many homes that clearly were vacant -- but where someone theoretically could live -- likely ended up getting questionnaires.

"In the hurricane-damaged areas, where the Census went door-to-door and hand-delivered forms to addresses that are clearly blighted, one would expect a lower response rate," she said. "We know many of those houses are blighted and that no one is living there."

Plyer called response rates of 72 percent in Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes a positive sign. "It would be worrisome if those areas were not on par with the nation," she said.

The slightly lower response rates seen in other suburban parishes likely owes to the fact that poor households are less likely to return forms by mail, she said.

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Michelle Krupa can be reached at mkrupa@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3312 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 504.826.3312 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

INFOBOX:

The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday released the percentages of households that filled out and mailed back their 2010 census questionnaires. If a household didn't mail back its form by late April, a census taker was dispatched to tally the number of people living there.

Response rate 2000 [tab] 2010

Jefferson [tab] 74% [tab] 72%

Orleans [tab] 61% [tab] 45%

Plaquemines 57% [tab] 57%

St. Bernard 71% [tab] 46%

St. Charles 70% [tab] 69%

St. John

the Baptist 66% [tab] 67%

St. Tammany 72% [tab] 72%

Louisiana [tab] 68% [tab] 65%

Nationwide 74% [tab] 74%by the numbers

The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday released the percentages of households that filled out and mailed back their 2010 census questionnaires. If a household didn't mail back its form by late April, a census taker was dispatched to tally the number of people living there.

Response rate [tab] 2000 [tab] 2010

Jefferson [tab] 74% [tab] 72%

Orleans [tab] 61% [tab] 45%

Plaquemines [tab] 57% [tab] 57%

St. Bernard [tab] 71% [tab] 46%

St. Charles [tab] 70% [tab] 69%

St. John the Baptist [tab] 66% [tab] 67%

St. Tammany [tab] 72% [tab] 72%

Louisiana [tab] 68% [tab] 65%

Nationwide [tab] 74% [tab] 74%