MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama ranks last in the country for the response to the 2020 U.S. Census — with Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia also in the bottom five — as officials warn that a low response rate could lead to the loss of federal funds and even a congressional seat.
Alabama so far has the lowest percentage of households responding — through self-response or follow-up contact — of any state in the country. About 81.5% of Alabama households have been counted as of Sept. 10, according to numbers from the U.S. Census. That compares with a national percentage of 90.1
Other Deep South states also had a low response rate. Mississippi had a response rate of 82.3%; Georgia, 82.1%; and Louisiana, 82.7%. Montana also ranked in the bottom five with 82.3%. South Carolina was in the bottom 10 with a rate of 83.2%.
The 2020 census will be used to determine how federal dollars are distributed and how many congressional seats each state will get. State officials are making public pleas for people to complete the census.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey last week told people that it was “now or never” to complete the census
“I’ve said it since our March kickoff, and I will say it again: Alabama stands to lose too much if we do not reach our goal of maximum participation,” Ivey said.
Alabama officials have long expressed concern that the state could lose a congressional seat. U.S. Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama on Friday also urged people to respond to the census if they haven’t already.
“We are dead last in the census, and we stand a chance of losing a congressional seat. We stand a chance of losing a lot of federal dollars,” Jones said during a campaign event.
Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who lives in Mississippi, appeared in a public service announcement urging people in the state to respond to the census.