Federal Census Recount Costs Lead Growing Towns to Take Matters into Their Own Hands

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Certainly! Here’s a paraphrased and condensed version of the text:

City officials in Lebanon, Tennessee, became concerned that state funding based on the 2020 census was not aligned with their rapid growth. When they inquired about a special census with the U.S. Census Bureau, they were put off by the $880,000 cost, leading them to plan their own count.

Paul Corder, the planning director for Lebanon, said they could perform the count for less, with a target of spending under half the federal cost. Their special census, aimed at accurately capturing Lebanon’s growth, is set to take place later this summer, with hopes of gaining nearly $1 million more in state funds annually until 2030.

While special head counts don’t alter political maps, they can boost state and federal funds. Communities must weigh the cost against potential financial benefits, explained Tim Kuhn, director of the Tennessee State Data Center. Tennessee has seen 54 communities conduct their own censuses after 2010, without Census Bureau assistance.

In North Carolina, only small municipalities can undertake DIY censuses. These generally won’t significantly affect state funds, says state demographer Michael Cline, but local officials want accurate counts.

Lebanon’s count will focus on resident names only and use local opportunities like Little League games to reach residents. Though DIY censuses can help gain funding, concerns remain regarding confidentiality and accurate counting, warns census consultant Terri Ann Lowenthal.

The Census Bureau neither monitors nor aids communities in these endeavors, as they noted in a statement to The Big Big News.

Only the Village of Pingree Grove in Illinois has contracted the Census Bureau for a repeat count post-2020, costing $373,000. With a growth of almost 6.5% to over 11,000 residents in two years, the village, located northwest of Chicago, seeks to reflect their expanding population and hundreds of new homes in federal and state funding.

Amber Kubiak, village president, expressed the urgency in capturing all growth, reflecting on lessons from the past decade when rapid growth went unaccounted for.

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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword censuses

More about fokus keyword censuses

• U.S. Census Bureau website
• Tennessee State Data Center’s website
• Official website of the city of Lebanon, Tennessee
• National Conference of State Legislatures website
• North Carolina’s State Demographer’s Office
• Village of Pingree Grove’s official website