By Julie Menin, Director of NYC Census 2020
During these trying times we are in, we want to share one bit of good news, readers! Thanks to you and your fellow New Yorkers, New York City is already making great strides in the 2020 Census.
After being available for just one week, 15.1% of NYC households have already responded to the 2020 Census. These are good starting numbers, but let’s take a moment to appreciate why this is so significant.
In 2010, after one week, just 6% of New Yorkers had responded to the census by this point, compared to the national average of 16% at the time. Now in 2020, as of March 23, the national average is 21%, and NYC is at 15.1%. That means we are closing the gap between New York City and the national average.
That alone is incredibly significant. But we have to remember that this is even more important than ever because of the unprecedented challenges we’ve faced in the 2020 Census: the fear, misinformation, and disinformation stemming from the protracted, multi-year battle surrounding the citizenship question; a deep and widespread distrust of the federal government; the census being primarily available online for the first time; and now, New York City is one of the national epicenters of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now more than ever, to keep each other safe and healthy, it’s never been more important for New Yorkers to self-respond to the census, as more than 15% of us have already done. And luckily, it’s never been easier, since you can fill it out in just five minutes online or by phone.
So if you haven’t filled out the census yet, fill it out now at my2020census.gov or by calling 844-330-2020. And if you have already done it, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for being a part of this historic effort — then tell your friends, family, and neighbors to do the same!
“Making Sense of the Census” is a weekly column from Julie Menin, Director of NYC Census 2020. Every week we will be publishing pieces from Julie and guest authors laying out the facts and answering tough questions about this year’s census. Fill out the census now at my2020census.gov.
