Wednesday, April 1, is Census Day. That’s the reference date used for the 2020 Census. That means you include everyone living in your home on April 1 when you fill out the form, but you don’t have to wait to complete the census.
Data posted on March 28, 2020, showed the national self-response rate was 31.6%. Arizona’s statewide census response rate was 30.9% and responses vary widely among counties. At 34.1%, Yavapai County had the highest rate followed by Maricopa and Pima Counties. The lowest response rate was reported in northeast Arizona — in Apache County — at 1.2%.
Here’s a rate breakdown of all Arizona counties provided by the U.S. Census as of March 27, 2020.
- Arizona 30.9%
- Apache 1.2%
- Cochise 28.1%
- Coconino 17.8%
- Gila 19.2%
- Graham 24.9%
- Greenlee 13.7%
- La Paz 4.0%
- Maricopa 33.5%
- Mohave 31.0%
- Navajo 10.4%
- Pima 33.0%
- Pinal 28.9%
- Santa Cruz 17.0%
- Yavapai 34.1%
- Yuma 20.9%
The Constitution mandates a census every 10 years to count every person living in the U.S., regardless of citizenship status, race or age. For the first time, people can complete the census online using a unique code mailed to their address in March 2020. There’s also an option to participate by email or phone.
The state receives $2,959 in federal funding for each person counted in Arizona. Based on an analysis of funding through 55 federal programs, Andrew Reamer of George Washington University found Arizona received $20,550,087,125 in 2016 based on data from the 2010 census. That averages $3,214.96 per resident.
Census data are also used to calculate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to population growth, Arizona is expected to gain one congressional seat.
