Walsh: Fill Out Census So Boston And Massachusetts Can Get 'Fair Share'

BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston's Census response is lagging, Mayor Marty Walsh said Thursday. He's urging residents to fill out their 2020 United States Census form to make sure the city and state of Massachusetts receives their "fair share" of federal funding, at a time when budgets are stretched because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I want to make sure that people know one concrete thing that they can do," Walsh said. "Whatever resources are available, they'll all be distributed based on the Census data."

Boston's current Census response rate is under 53%, Walsh said. That's less than the national average of 62% and lower than the state average of 64%. The mayor said "we need to get those numbers up," because Massachusetts has lost Congressional seats after the last three censuses.

"We need to make sure that the city of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts receives its fair share of funding from Washington, D.C.," Walsh said. "I'm asking everyone - if you haven't done it yet, please fill out the United States Census form."

Census workers will be knocking on doors of people who haven't responded to the Census starting on August 11, Walsh said.

The 2020 U.S. Census can be completed online at my2020census.gov