As Census Workers Go Door-To-Door, Many In Western Mass. Have Already Answered

Census workers are expected to start going door-to-door in western Massachusetts to collect information this week. But an official with the U.S. Census said it’s already had a strong response from households in the region.

Since March, people have been submitting their data to the U.S. Census Bureau by mail, computer and phone.

Jeff Behler, who’s with the agency, said the responses from the four counties of western Massachusetts are currently pretty close to the number that ended up self-reporting in 2010.

"Berkshire is currently at 59%. Franklin currently is at 68.7%. Hampshire is at 71.1% and then Hampden County is at 65.4%," he said.

Behler said the U.S. Census anticipated that COVID-19 would lower response rates. That's because some community education events about the importance of answering it had to be cancelled. 

But he said Massachusetts is to be commended for answering the census at a higher response rate than the nation as a whole. 

The census is trying to ensure its door-to-door data collection effort doesn't help spread the coronavirus.

"Census takers will wear masks and follow local public health guidelines when they visit your home," the agency says on its website. "All census takers complete a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing and other health and safety protocols before beginning their work in neighborhoods."