Rural Areas Risk Being Overlooked in 2010 Census

Summary

This report draws attention to the U.S. Census Bureau's undercount of rural areas, especially among minority populations with high poverty rates and disproportionately low levels of education. Key findings highlight seasonal employment and other reasons for the undercount, which keeps these communities from receiving their share of public funds.

Table of Contents

• Rural Areas Too Often Overlooked
• Some Reasons Why Rural Areas are Difficult to Count
• Where the Hardest-to-Count Rural Areas Are
• Minorities in Rural Areas Among the Most Likely to be Missed in the Census
• Long-Term Ramifications for Rural America

Key Takeaway

Improving the 2010 Census

While populations in rural areas are easier to count than those in urban areas, pockets of hard-to-count populations exist – including Blacks in the rural South, Hispanics in the Southwest border region, and American Indians on reservations in the Southwest and Northern Plains. Efforts are underway to make the rural count more accurate in the 2010 census.