Naperville leads nation's big cities in 2020 census self-response rate

The city with the highest 2020 census self-response rate among U.S. municipalities of 140,000 residents or more lies within the suburbs.

It's Naperville.

Naperville's self-response rate of 75.1% topped all other cities in the nation that meet the 140,000-resident threshold, according to May 2 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

But several other towns in the region with smaller populations are keeping pace or even running ahead of that rate. Lake Zurich and Geneva are in the lead among a sampling in the Northwest and West suburbs, with response rates of 77.5% and 77.3%, respectively. Lake in the Hills and Wheaton are not far behind, with response rates of 76.6% and 76.4%.

And Arlington Heights' response rate is 15th in the nation among communities with 75,000 residents or more, at 75.2% as of May 2.

Communities with high response rates say outreach in many forms has led to successful cooperation with the decennial demographic survey. Filling out the census is important, municipal leaders say, because population counts helps determine congressional representation and how federal money is allocated for the next 10 years.

Lake Zurich Mayor Thomas Poynton has worked with the Ela Area Public Library to spearhead a census messaging campaign. The mayor also sent two rounds of letters encouraging participation among areas of town that have had lower response rates in the past, largely rental units or senior-living communities, said Kyle Kordell, assistant to the village manager.

Geneva has posted messages about the census at city hall and on a city marquee; written about the census in communications starting with the winter newsletter; broadcast census promotions online and on local TV; and used the networks of nonprofits to share information about the survey, Communications Coordinator Kevin Stahr said.

In Naperville, the story is the same.

The city's Census Complete Count Committee has contacted roughly 175 organizations and is using a long list of social media sources to encourage completion. Committee Chairman Mark Rice said the Naperville Public Library, Loaves & Fishes Community Services, the DuPage and Will County boards and the Islamic Center of Naperville are among partner groups that have been leading the charge.

The self-response phase has been extended to Oct. 31 from July 31, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, so residents still have time to complete the questionnaire online at https://my2020census.gov/.

Municipal leaders across the region are finding online ways to continue their census outreach, with in-person possibilities largely impossible because of the stay-at-home order and social distancing requirements.

"We are adapting and continuing to push the message forward," Geneva's Stahr said. "Even though you might be stuck at home, you can still fill out the census and do your part to represent Geneva."