Austin Among Nation's Top Cities Responding To Census: Report

AUSTIN, TX — Austin ranks in the top ten cities where 2020 census response rates have increased the most, according to a new report.

Securing an accurate count is key to municipalities, as population numbers dictate the number of congressional seats each state gets and determines distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal funding.

Researchers at SmartAsset uncovered where people had responded to the 2020 Census the most. Since then, the national census self-response rate rose by 7.3 percentage points and some big cities have seen even larger upticks.

In a new study, SmartAsset analyzed data on the 50 largest U.S. cities to see where 2020 census self-response rates have increased the most. More specifically, researchers compared the change in rates between May 4 and Aug. 18.

Graphic provided by SmartAsset.

Austin was ranked ninth in terms of self-response rates. As of May 4, there was a 55.3 percent response rate, increased by Aug. 18 to 63.3 percent — a difference of 8.0 percent. As impressive as that response rate is, two other Texas cities — El Paso and San Antonio — fared better. The former city had an 8.8 percent increase in the studied time period, while the Alamo City posted a. 8.7 percent increase. Those response rates were good enough to put El Paso and San Antonio in the 2nd and 4th positions, respectively, among the nation's cities.

The only other Texas city cracking to top 20 list was Houston, in a four-way tie for 18th place, showing a 7.4 percent response rate increase.

Read the full "Where Census Self-Response Rates Have Increased the Most — August 2020 Study" for more details.