Mail Response Rates from 2000 Census, Leon County

Analyzing the mail response rates from Census 2000 helps Tallahassee and Leon County know where to focus efforts for Census 2010 promotional efforts.

Overall in the 2000 Census, Leon County’s mail response rate was 64 percent while the City of Tallahassee’s response rate was 63 percent. In comparison, the national mail response rate was 67 percent while the response rate for Florida rate was 63 percent.

A higher response rate means a more accurate count of the population and is better from the perspective of fiscal responsibility. When households do not mail back their census questionnaire a census enumerator must follow-up either by telephone or by personal visit to gather the information. Enumerators must also determine addresses where the unit is vacant or no longer exists. This non-response follow-up operation is very costly and often results in information for an occupied housing unit that is less reliable then when the census questionnaire is completed and mailed back by a household member.

Hard-To-Count Scores, Leon County
The U.S. Census Bureau has developed the Hard-to-Count (HTC) score census tracts based on the analysis of selected demographic, socioeconomic and housing characteristics. The HTC score will also help us in targeting areas requiring more intensive outreach efforts in order to assure a complete count in the 2010 Census.

The HTC Score thematic map ranks the census tracts in Leon County in ranges from lowest to highest based on their HTC score.  The U.S. Census Bureau has analyzed the results of past Mail Response Rates and determined a high correlation between areas that are considered Hard to Count with areas that have low Mail Response Rates. Essentially, areas that had a low percentage rate of mailing back their 2000 Census questionnaire are more likely to be areas with populations that are difficult to enumerate because of demographic and socioeconomic factors; including high rates of housing unit vacancy, households below poverty, single-parent families, households with certain minority and immigrant populations, and households with persons who do not speak English well or at all.