Final week for Census

 

By Charles Sercombe
The clock is ticking down for Hamtramck households to take part in the national Census count.
The last day that the count will happen is this coming Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The Census happens just once every 10 years across the country, in an effort to determine the nation’s population.
The Census is far more than a national headcount. It is also used to draw up congressional districts and the number of state representatives. The Census count also determines and how federal funds and grants are apportioned for communities.
In 2010, the Census count for Hamtramck was 22,423 – which a number of city officials said was an undercount. It was – and still is — believed that a more accurate population count is about 30,000.
In 2019, the Census Bureau estimated Hamtramck’s population went down to 21,599. The Census also noted that over 44 percent of the residents were foreign-born, and that 49 percent of the population is female.
So far this year, only about 58 percent of the city’s households have filled out their Census form – which is below the state average of 68 percent.
If you need help with, or have questions about, the Census, there will be Census workers in Hamtramck City Hall on Sept. 25, 28 and 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There are only 10 questions on the form, and all information is guaranteed to be protected and held private. Census information is not shared with other public agencies.
Even if you are not a citizen, you are still encouraged to participate in the Census. The Census Bureau will not report you.
In her weekly community talks on Facebook, Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski has been pleading with the public to step up and respond to the Census.
“There’s no reason not to be counted,” Majewski said.
She added that the city’s response rate, at this point, “is not good enough.”
Sept. 25, 2020

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