McHenry County sees improved response to U.S. Census over 10 years earlier

A higher share of McHenry County residents responded to the U.S. census compared with 10 years ago, McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks said in a news release Friday, touting the county’s high response rate.

This year’s census efforts, which have been tied up in several lawsuits and had the deadline for residents to respond changed multiple times, wrapped up Oct. 15.

McHenry County tentatively had 82.3% of its households responding, tied with Kendall County for the second-highest rate by county in Illinois and 19th highest in the nation. About 4.5% more county residents responded to the 2020 census compared with the 77.8% rate in 2010.

“I can’t say enough how pleased I am that the people of McHenry County realized how vital the Census is to us,” Franks said. “The decennial national count of every American determines our share of billions of dollars for our roads, schools and innumerable other services upon which county residents rely, as well as how we are represented in Springfield and Washington.”

Tens of billions of dollars are steered to states each year based on population as determined by the census. Illinois received more than $55 billion in census-based federal funding in 2017 alone, according to the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy.

McHenry County also is home to the municipality with the highest response rate in the state, according to the release. Trout Valley, which had a response rate of 91.8%, also was the 16th highest in the nation.

Statewide, Spring Grove was seventh with an 89% rate, and Huntley was ninth with an 88.2% rate.

“The county’s Census success is more than a number,” County Board member Michael Vijuk, who co-chaired the McHenry County Complete Count Committee with Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, said in the release. “It shows that each and every Census participant cares about their neighbors and their community, and wants to make McHenry County even more of a wonderful place to live and work by bringing needed funds and business opportunities to McHenry County through improved education, transportation and health care funding.”