2020 Census Response rate map. Photo from Census website.
The 2020 Census is the decennial survey that goes to every household in the country in an attempt to count every person living in the U.S. and the five U.S. territories. Responding to the Census is crucial in that it determines congressional representation, informs hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provides data that will impact communities for the next decade. Census results influence highway planning and construction, as well as grants for buses, subways, and other public transit systems. Census data also helps communities respond to natural disasters and secure funding for hospitals and fire departments. These are just a few examples to demonstrate how important the Census is and how much of an impact it can have on your community.
However, due to COVID-19, the response rate across the nation has been very low. The national response rate is 60.2% as of May 28, much lower than the 2010 Census’s 74% response rate.
Response rates and ranks of States with high Korean American populations, as of May 28:
- Washington, 5th: 66.8%
- Virginia, 6th: 65.3%
- Illinois, 9th: 65.2%
- Maryland, 11th: 64.3%
- New Jersey, 21st: 62.2%
- California, 22nd: 61.3%
- Georgia, 35th: 56.3%
- New York, 38th: 55.1%
- Texas, Hawaii, 40th: 54.9%
Response rates of counties with the highest Korean American populations, as of May 28, 2020 (in the order of high to low populations):
- Los Angeles County, California: 56.6%
- Orange County, California: 69%
- Bergen County, New Jersey: 68.4%
- Queens County, New York: 49.9%
- Fairfax County, Virginia: 74.3%
- Honolulu County, Hawaii: 62.7%
- Cook County, Illinois: 59.9%
- King County, Washington: 69.8%
No data was provided specifically focusing on Korean American responses to the Census, but according to the Asian American Federation (AAF), the Korean American response rate in New York City was 50.6% (as of May 6th), which is higher than the total New York City response rate of 46.1%, and higher than the 44.7% Asian American response rate.
Since the result of Census 2020 will have a big impact on our Korean American community, we recommend all community members to participate. To complete the 2020 Census, please check your mailbox to see if you have received an invitation to respond from Census. You can respond in one of three ways: online, by phone (844-330-2020), or by mail. It takes less than ten minutes to submit your response online.
Final deadline is October 31st. Please refer to this 11 minute Youtube video and guideline explaining the Census questions in Korean.
Please refer below for more information about the Census.
Video explaining Census Questions (Korean)