These widgets are tracking the Census 2010 Mail Participation Rate for the nation, Texas and Houston, according to the percentage of forms mailed back by households that received them. The Census Bureau developed this new measure in 2010, in part because of the current economy and higher rates of vacant housing. The rate excludes households whose forms were returned to us by the U.S. Postal Service as “undeliverable,” strongly suggesting the house was vacant.

Accurate Census data reflects changes in your community and is crucial in apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Census data is used to decide how more than $400 billion per year is allocated for projects like new hospitals and schools. Over a decade, that’s more than $4 trillion for things like new roads and schools, and services like job training centers. People from many walks of life also use census data to advocate for causes, rescue disaster victims, prevent diseases, research markets, locate pools of skilled workers and more.

In addition, residents themselves have used census data to support community initiatives involving environmental legislation, quality-of-life issues and consumer advocacy.

• “Low-income families have clearly been targeted in this study.” The Organic Consumers Association used census data to lobby the Environmental Protection Agency to halt testing dangerous chemicals on low-income children in Florida. The testing was eventually stopped due to the petition. Go to the petition site and read the census data cited to help augment their case
• “This data shows that Phillips has a higher number of both elderly and children under the age of 5 within its boundaries.” A town in Minneapolis used census data to push for further examination of the environmental and physiological impact of a proposed energy facility. Read the actual petition that was filed in court
• “Florida is rapidly being developed, increasing the threats to wildlife” Save the Manatee Club petitions Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to step up protection of Florida’s at-risk species using census data. Go to the official press release

Redistricting 101: What is redistricting and why do states redistrict?

* Redistricting is the process of changing electoral district and constituency boundaries, usually in response to periodic census results
* The U.S. Constitution requires that electoral districts be periodically adjusted or redrawn to account for population shifts
* While the census does provide information to the U.S. states on population in order for the states to redistrict appropriately, the census is not actually responsible for the act of redistricting. State legislatures or independent bi-partisan commissions (depending on the state) are the bodies that actually redraw district lines.

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