Census count at White Hall over, at 71.7%
Even if White Hall’s population doesn’t increase from its 2010 estimated population of about 5,070, it means the city would be eligible for about $16.7 million per year over the next 10 years.
Every American citizen is worth about $3,300 per year when it comes to the 2020 U.S. Census count. With the count ended Oct. 15, that means any undercount could cost White Hall millions.
As of Sept. 1, the city had a reporting rate of 69.9 percent, nearly 10 points above the state average of 59.3 percent, according to state records.
A few weeks later, the mayor’s office now has it at 71.7 percent.
Overall total reporting in Jefferson County as of Sept. 1 was 54.6 percent, according to census figures from the Jefferson County Census data. The national average is about 64.9 percent.
According to the U.S. Census, this year’s total count is worth more than “$675 billion, which comes to about $3,300 for each resident each year for the next ten years.”
Even if White Hall’s population doesn’t increase from its 2010 estimated population of about 5,070, it means the city would be eligible for about $16.7 million per year over the next 10 years.
Decade-wise, that’s about $167.3 million federal dollars, and it’s money the city could use for improvements and other projects, but it’s also believed that White Hall’s population is now closer to 5,500, which would be about $181.5 million, or an extra $14.2 million, over the next decade.
At White Hall’s estimated collection rate, the city will receive only about twothirds of its total possible federal dollars.
Based on a population projected at about 5,500 and at the 71.7 percent data collection rate, the city’s share will be based on about 3,943 individuals.
That means instead of about $181.5 million, White Hall’s portion will be only about $130 million.
That’s a loss of about $50 million over the next decade.
Sandra Truman, White Hall Mayor Noel Foster’s executive assistant, said the census is important to the city, and officials encouraged everyone to be counted.
Unlike many other Arkansas cities, White Hall didn’t form a census committee or appoint a lead. Instead, Truman said, “we put out the information on social media and promoted it.”
Until told to halt the count, Truman said, the city continued its efforts.
REASONS FOR THE DELAYS
The U.S. Census efforts have been caught in a startstop loop since earlier this year. The original July 1 tally date was delayed because of covid-19 and pushed back to Oct. 31.
This fall, census workers were told to quit counting as of Oct. 5, but then a few days later, the 2020 data collectors were given the green light to continue their door-to-door efforts until Oct. 31.
The count was halted Oct. 15, as allowed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave the Trump administration the OK to end it.
The 2020 U.S. Census is scheduled to be completed and delivered to the president by April 30.
It could take up to three years for the count to be finalized because of contested counts, said Larry Reynolds, director of the Southeast Arkansas Planning Commission.