Census Undercount in NC Could Leave Billions on the Table

As we pass the halfway point for taking this year's census, nearly two out of every five U.S. households have yet to respond to the survey, stoking fears that billions of federal dollars could be left on the table — dollars that fund crucial services including during the pandemic.

The new coronavirus erupted just as the 2020 census was getting underway. In the wake of mass layoffs and unprecedented economic damage, studies are projecting that more than 4 million people could be undercounted this year.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York City who represents one of the most diverse districts in the nation, is also anticipating an undercount, leaving her fearful for communities.

"Any mistake or inaccurate count we make becomes a 10-year mistake and affects our neighborhoods and communities for a very long time," Meng told The Associated Press this week.

The purpose of the once-each-decade count is to help determine where $1.5 trillion in federal funding goes and how many congressional seats each state gets.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's self-response map, 57.8 percent of North Carolina households have responded to this year's census either online, by phone or by mail.

Nationally, about 61.6 percent of households have responded.

This means two out of every five households are still unaccounted for.

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