Analyzing the response rates from Census 2000 helps communities know where to focus efforts for Census 2010 promotional efforts.
Not only does a higher response rate mean a more accurate count of the population, but it is better from the perspective of fiscal responsibility. When households don't respond to the questionnaires, the Census Bureau must send fieldworkers to their addresses in an effort to collect their responses, which is much more costly to taxpayers.
The final response rate for Census 2000 (that is, responses received by mail, telephone or over the Internet through September 7, 2000) was 67 percent for the United States overall. States ranged from a 76 percent response in Iowa to 57 percent in Alaska.
In Indiana, the final response rate was 69 percent, ranking the state 17th in the nation. However, that was down from Indiana's 72 percent mail response rate for the 1990 Census.
Use the links below to access maps and tables by geography.