The U.S. Census Bureau is sending an additional paper questionnaire to households in low-responding census tracts. Liberty County, has several low-response areas, which include Riceboro, Walthourville and other rural areas. About 84.9% of U.S. households have completed the 2020 Census with 65.2% self-responding online, by phone or by mail. In Liberty County, only 54.5% of households have responded.

This final mailing began to arrive in homes on Aug. 22. All mail packages are expected to arrive by Sept. 15. Only nonresponding households that have received only one paper questionnaire in the mail may receive this mailing. This mailing is the last in a series of reminders the Census Bureau has mailed to nonresponding households since mid-March urging them to respond.

“For the last count, we estimate Liberty County missed out on about $280 million in funding with 71% of households counted in 2010,” said Krystal Hart, 2020 Census Coordinator. “The Liberty County Complete Count Committee strongly encourages households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census to complete their questionnaire by Sept. 30 online at 2020census.gov or by phone in English or 12 other languages using the toll free number 1-844-330-2020.