Seventy percent of DeSoto County households returned their federal census forms as of Friday's deadline to return the forms by mail, and local officials said Monday they were pleased with the response.
At 70 percent, DeSoto County outpaced the state as a whole, which had a return rate of 64 percent. The local figure was also slightly above the national return rate of 69 percent.
The figures were the most current available as of Monday afternoon.
"We're about 50,000 more (in population) than we were last census but still had about the same response rate," Matt Hanks, DeSoto County Geographic Information Systems director, said. "I think that's pretty impressive."
Hanks said the percentages may continue to creep up slightly even though the deadline has passed as late-arriving forms continue to be counted through May 3.
Friday was set as the deadline nationally to return forms received by mail. Those residences that didn't return forms by the deadline will be counted manually by census workers.
"I think one reason we did so well was the strong participation by officials in each city, encouraging residents to return forms," Hanks said. "I understand Mayor Alday was going door to door asking people to send in their forms,"
Hanks was referring to Walls Mayor Gene Alday, who said it's important for DeSoto County's smallest incorporated municipality to get an accurate count to secure certain grants.
Sixty-one percent returned forms in Walls, the lowest return rate among DeSoto County's five cities.
"Within the next 10 years, we're going to need federal assistance -- more fire, more police," Alday said. "We need to be eligible to apply for those grants in order to operate."
With only about 460 residents as of the last census count, Walls said he believes his community now stands at about 1,800 population. And that number could swell significantly if on-hold developments begin moving forward as the economy improves.
DeSoto County as a whole had an estimated population of 158,719 as of last July 1, representing a population gain of 51,520 since the 2000 census.
-- Ron Maxey: (901) 333-2019
Final count
Friday was the deadline to submit federal census forms by mail. DeSoto County's response rate as of Monday was 70 percent, compared to 69 percent nationally. The Mississippi return rate was 64 percent.
The return rates in DeSoto County's five incorporated municipalities, which figure into the countywide total along with returns from unincorporated portions of the county, were:
Olive Branch: 73 percent
Hernando: 72 percent
Southaven: 67 percent
Horn Lake: 63 percent
Walls: 61 percent
Showing posts with label DeSoto County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DeSoto County. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Commercial Appeal discusses Census 2010
With a Friday deadline to return federal census forms fast approaching, local and state officials are urging Mississippians to fill out their forms and mail them if they haven't done so already.
Friday is the last day to return census forms that were mailed to residents across the U.S. in March.
After the deadline, census workers will be sent to addresses from which forms haven't been received to collect the data in person.
Besides the cost of having to send workers -- it's estimated that taxpayers pay $57 per household for census workers to make in-person visits -- Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, both R-Miss., said a thorough count ensures the state gets proper representation and its fair share of funding.
"The entire state of Mississippi benefits with each census forum returned, and the reverse can also be true," Cochran and Wicker said in a joint statement.
According to the most current figures, 61 percent of Mississippians have returned forms, compared to a national average return rate of 67 percent.
A Census Bureau survey showed that as of Tuesday, 18 of the state's 82 counties had return rates of at least 65 percent.
DeSoto County is keeping pace with the national rate at 67 percent.
Friday is the last day to return census forms that were mailed to residents across the U.S. in March.
After the deadline, census workers will be sent to addresses from which forms haven't been received to collect the data in person.
Besides the cost of having to send workers -- it's estimated that taxpayers pay $57 per household for census workers to make in-person visits -- Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, both R-Miss., said a thorough count ensures the state gets proper representation and its fair share of funding.
"The entire state of Mississippi benefits with each census forum returned, and the reverse can also be true," Cochran and Wicker said in a joint statement.
According to the most current figures, 61 percent of Mississippians have returned forms, compared to a national average return rate of 67 percent.
A Census Bureau survey showed that as of Tuesday, 18 of the state's 82 counties had return rates of at least 65 percent.
DeSoto County is keeping pace with the national rate at 67 percent.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tension awaits as Legislature anticipates Census 2010 results
A snippet from the DeSoto Time Tribune, a local paper in one of the fastest, if not THE fastest, growing counties in MS. Will be interesting to see how redistricting affects this area...
Little of the same redistricting tension that surrounded the 2000 population census exists now as the Legislature awaits figures of the 2010 census. But that is not to say some angry partisan arm-wrestling — Democrat against Republican — over legislative redistricting won’t break out in the 2011 session.
A few things of consequence to Mississippi are known in advance of the 2010 census: One, though the state’s growth the past decade has been slow (less than 1 percent a year) it is not enough to cause the state to lose a U.S. House seat as it did in 2000; another, that since Mississippi elects officials in off-years, it will be one of the first three states to get the official census figures.
Assuming they will get census figures by March, 2011, lawmakers hope to start early on redistricting the 174 seats in the Legislature, a job that in 2002 wasn’t finished in regular session and required a special session. What clouded the 2002 session, however, was the explosive issue of having to remap the state’s five Congressional districts into four.
Little of the same redistricting tension that surrounded the 2000 population census exists now as the Legislature awaits figures of the 2010 census. But that is not to say some angry partisan arm-wrestling — Democrat against Republican — over legislative redistricting won’t break out in the 2011 session.
A few things of consequence to Mississippi are known in advance of the 2010 census: One, though the state’s growth the past decade has been slow (less than 1 percent a year) it is not enough to cause the state to lose a U.S. House seat as it did in 2000; another, that since Mississippi elects officials in off-years, it will be one of the first three states to get the official census figures.
Assuming they will get census figures by March, 2011, lawmakers hope to start early on redistricting the 174 seats in the Legislature, a job that in 2002 wasn’t finished in regular session and required a special session. What clouded the 2002 session, however, was the explosive issue of having to remap the state’s five Congressional districts into four.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Census officials: Don't count DeSoto County out
The DeSoto Times Today discusses the upcoming 2010 Census...
DESOTO COUNTY — DeSoto Countians responded to the last U.S. Census in 2000 at a rate about 6 percent below the national average.
U.S. Census official Alicia Netterville said she doesn’t want to see that happen again next year when the 2010 Census gets under way.
Netterville said census figures are critically important in determining representation in the U.S. Congress and in calculating formulas involving a whole array of federal programs.
Sixty-two percent of DeSoto Countians returned census forms in the last census. The national average is 68 percent.
DESOTO COUNTY — DeSoto Countians responded to the last U.S. Census in 2000 at a rate about 6 percent below the national average.
U.S. Census official Alicia Netterville said she doesn’t want to see that happen again next year when the 2010 Census gets under way.
Netterville said census figures are critically important in determining representation in the U.S. Congress and in calculating formulas involving a whole array of federal programs.
Sixty-two percent of DeSoto Countians returned census forms in the last census. The national average is 68 percent.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
More census response sought from DeSoto residents
From the Commercial Appeal:
DeSoto County residents were less responsive to the 2000 census than the national average, and census officials are hoping for improved response in next year's census.
The 2010 Census goes out April 1, 2010, but Census Bureau officials are asking for local support from political leaders, churches, media and civic organizations.
"The census is important for redistricting, but it is also important because of the way money is divided up among different communities," said Alicia Netterville with the Census Bureau offices in Jackson.
She asked the Board of Supervisors Monday to create a Complete Council Meeting that would include representatives from different churches and other organizations aimed at increasing response to census questionnaires.
"The response level for DeSoto County was 62 percent (in 2000) while the national response rate was 67 percent," she said.
The questionnaire to be used next year has been streamlined to only 10 questions, she added.
The Board of Supervisors approved establishing a Complete Council Meeting and designated County Administrator Michael Garriga as the chairman.
Meanwhile, Netterville said anyone interested in working on the 2010 Census should call 1-866-861-2010, the 2010 Census Jobs Line.
"We already have a pool of available workers identified, but jobs are available for some areas," she said.
DeSoto County residents were less responsive to the 2000 census than the national average, and census officials are hoping for improved response in next year's census.
The 2010 Census goes out April 1, 2010, but Census Bureau officials are asking for local support from political leaders, churches, media and civic organizations.
"The census is important for redistricting, but it is also important because of the way money is divided up among different communities," said Alicia Netterville with the Census Bureau offices in Jackson.
She asked the Board of Supervisors Monday to create a Complete Council Meeting that would include representatives from different churches and other organizations aimed at increasing response to census questionnaires.
"The response level for DeSoto County was 62 percent (in 2000) while the national response rate was 67 percent," she said.
The questionnaire to be used next year has been streamlined to only 10 questions, she added.
The Board of Supervisors approved establishing a Complete Council Meeting and designated County Administrator Michael Garriga as the chairman.
Meanwhile, Netterville said anyone interested in working on the 2010 Census should call 1-866-861-2010, the 2010 Census Jobs Line.
"We already have a pool of available workers identified, but jobs are available for some areas," she said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
