by BRAD ROLLINS
Hays County is ahead of the rest of the state, but still lagging nationally in the number of residents who have returned census forms.
As of Tuesday, 57 percent of the county had completed the census, compared to 54 percent of Texas residents and 60 percent of U.S. residents, according to Census Bureau estimates.
Census data is used for a multitude of purposes, including determining state and federal legislative representation and divvying state and federal money for transportation, health care and education.
The numbers are particularly important to rapidly growing counties like Hays, which tallied 97,589 residents in the 2000 census but is now estimated to have a population in excess of 150,000.
“It’s estimated that Hays County has added some 54,000 people since the last census, and some estimates are upwards of 60,000,” said Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton. “We stand to lose some $1.9 million a year in federal funding for every one percent of those people not counted. And that will remain in effect for 10 years, until the next census.”
With a few exceptions, the corridor cities of Buda, Kyle and San Marcos are participating in the census at lower rates than their neighbors in the western portion of the county.
On Tuesday, 59 percent of Buda, 58 percent of Kyle, 54 percent of Niederwald and 52 percent of Uhland residents had returned census forms.
Mountain City was the far-and-away leader on the corridor with a 74 percent participation rate.
San Marcos lagged far behind with 46 percent, a number presumably influenced by two large population segments known to participate at a lower rate: university students and lower-income residents.
Meanwhile, 64 percent of Wimberley and 72 percent of Woodcreek residents had returned their census forms. Dripping Springs showed a 59 percent return rate.
