Levittown-Area Census Response Rate Higher Than Average

The majority of Levittown-area households have self-responded to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau this week provides a look at participation as the collection for the constitutionally mandated tally of all persons living in the country is about to come to an end.

The data only gives a look at the three townships in the Levittown area and does not include data from the six boroughs.

• Bristol Township Self-Response Rate Through September 30: 75.9 percent
  • Bristol Township Self-Response Rate For 2010 Census: 75 percent
• Falls Township Self-Response Rate Through September 30: 75.1 percent
  • Falls Township Self-Response Rate For 2010 Census: 74.3 percent
• Middletown Township Self-Response Rate Through September 30: 81.1 percent
  • Middletown Township Self-Response Rate For 2010 Census: 79.8 percent

The three townships’ self-response rate was higher than the national number of 66.6 percent and Pennsylvania’s self-response rate of 69.2 percent. The three towns also had a higher self-response rate than in 2010.

Across Bucks County, the self-response rate through Wednesday was 79.1 percent compared to 75.6 percent in 2010.

The majority of Levittown-area residents self-responded to the 2020 census via the internet. This was the first time the census could be completed electronically.

For those who did not self-respond, the government has sent out staff to deliver reminders in person and attempt to collect information. The U.S. Census Bureau reported last week to employing 267,155 census takers.

The census data collection was slated to end when October came to a close, but President Donald Trump’s administration moved that date up to September 30.

A federal court ruled last week that the count would still end October 31, but the U.S. Census Bureau said in a statement this week that the secretary of commerce has set a “target date of October 5, 2020 to conclude 2020 Census self-response and field data collection operations.”

“The Census Bureau is committed to a complete and accurate count, and urges every household to respond when a census taker visits or to respond on their own by using their census ID online, by phone or by mail,” another statement said.

There have been concerns about the census totals, political interference, and the shorter-than-normal deadline.

Census data gathered every 10 years is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and how state legislative and school districts are drawn. It also is used to determine how more than $675 billion in federal funds are spent across the country.

Bucks County officials have previously said the county could lose up to $2,000 in federal funding per year, or $20,000 over a decade, for each person not counted.

Leading up to the 2020 census, officials from the federal agency visited county and municipal officials to talk about the importance of the count.

Nationally, there was a promotional campaign leading up to and during the census.

Middletown Township, which has the highest self-participation rate in the Levittown area, launched its own promotional campaign in spring to get residents counted.

Households that have not yet responded to the census are able to do so online, by mailing a paper form, or by dialing 844-330-2020.

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