Congressman Gonzalez Secures Area Census Office in Hidalgo County

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) has announced that the United States Census Bureau recently released plans to open a new Area Census Office in Hidalgo County that will ensure the Rio Grande Valley is properly surveyed in 2020. The Area Census Office is scheduled to open during the summer of 2019 and will service Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy Counties. The decision comes in response to calls from Congressman Gonzalez and local leaders for such an office.

On September 27, 2017, Congressman Gonzalez sent a letter to U.S. Census Bureau Acting Director, Dr. Ron Jarmin, urging the Census Bureau to open a local office in the 15th District of Texas in light of inaccurate census counts in the past.

"I welcome the Census Bureau's decision to open an office in Hidalgo County and thank Acting Director Jarmin and his team for recognizing the need to count all people living in South Texas," Congressman Gonzalez said. "With an Area Census Office, we can more accurately, effectively, and efficiently count the recent growth in the Rio Grande Valley and hopefully see an allocation of federal funds that matches this growth."

The last Census occurred in 2010, and the base population estimate for Hidalgo County was 774,770. As of July 1, 2016, the Census Bureau estimated that Hidalgo County's population had grown by nearly 10 percent to 849,843. The Census Bureau reported a low response score of 32.7 percent. Incorrect numbers or low response rates can be attributed to the inability to verify addresses, obtain responses, or instances where partial responses were received.

The Census Bureau also announced that it will give residents the opportunity to self-respond via internet, phone, or paper form beginning March 23, 2020. Residents will still have the option to respond through a traditional in-person interview. Congressman Gonzalez is pleased to see the Census Bureau's outreach and investment in Hidalgo County and its proposed procedures for a more seamless and accurate 2020 Census.

Background:

A federal Census occurs every ten years to provide the federal government, as well as the American people, with population and housing information that helps:

• Apportion state representation;
• Draw congressional and state legislative districts, school districts, and voting precincts;
• Enforce voting rights and civil rights legislation;
• Distribute federal dollars to states;
• Inform planning decisions of federal, tribal, state, and local governments;
• And inform organizational decisions for businesses and non-profits.