By Melinda Osterberg
Marathon and Lincoln County Community Development Educator
UW-Madison Division of Extension
Lincoln County residents received their first invitation to respond to the 2020 Census in early spring; however, many residents have yet to self-respond. As of June 25, the state’s self-response rate was 68.7percent; Lincoln County’s rate was 59.7 percent. For comparison, Marathon County to Lincoln County’s south had a self-response rate of 75 percent.
The self-response rate reflects residents who have responded to the Census by internet, phone, or by completing paper surveys that were mailed out earlier this spring.
The response rate also varies considerably throughout the county. For example, in the city of Merrill, over 70 percent of residents had responded to the Census, while in the town of Somo 31 percent of residents had responded.
Besides response being required by law, there are multiple benefits to completing the census. Many federal and state programs are tied to information obtained through the decennial census. In order for Lincoln County residents to get their fair share of the $1.5 trillion distributed based on the results of the census, we need to make sure that everyone in the county is included in the 2020 Census.
Funds for the following programs are based on formulas that incorporate census data: Medicare and Medicaid payments, Block Grant programs – this includes the Community Development Block Grant which provides vital economic development and housing rehabilitation funds, Head Start program, and national school lunch program.
The 2020 Census will also determine how Lincoln County is represented at the State and Federal level, seats in the House of Representatives will be reapportioned using census data. This will determine how Lincoln County and the state of Wisconsin is represented for the next 10 years.
If you have not, please complete your census form today. If you have misplaced the form, please visit mycensus.gov or call 844-330-2020.
If you choose to not self-respond, census enumerators will begin canvassing residences Aug. 11; to prevent this visit, please consider responding to the 2020 Census today.
By law, your response is 100 percent confidential for 72 years.
If you have any questions, you can reach Melinda Osterberg, Lincoln County Community Development Educator at 715-252-9459 or at [email protected].