Utah has reached a 73 percent participation rate for the 2010 Decennial Census, surpassing its 2000 rate of 72 percent. This response also puts Utah ahead of the national participation rate of 71 percent.
In our region, only two states had higher participation rates (South Dakota and Nebraska, both at 75 percent), but Utah was the only state to see an increase in the level of participation compared to a decade ago.
The high number of Utahns returning their census forms boosts the state’s odds at securing a fourth seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Utah missed out on that seat by less than 900 people in 2010.
Utah has grown by an estimated 500,000 residents since 2000 and in 2009, Utah was identified as “The fastest growing state in the nation.” Of Utah’s 29 counties, 16 are at or have exceeded their 2000 rate and 12 counties are at or above the national average. In all, 118 of 239 cities or towns are at or have exceeded their 2000 rate with 130 of them at or above national average.
There is more on the line than representation in Congress, some $400 billion in federal money is divided among the stated based on data gathered in the census.
The next phase of the 2010 Census will have Census workers going door-t0-door to count those who failed to return their forms. The decennial census is required by the United States Constitution. It is an effort to gain an accurate count of persons living in the United States–regardless of their citizenship status.
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