Almost 30 percent of households in Kern County are unlikely to respond to the U.S. Census, according to the Census Bureau.
"Hard-to-count" (HTC) populations in Kern County include Latino/Hispanic, families with children under the age of five, renters, households with no internet, and non-English speakers. The Kern Complete Count Committee has started a campaign called "Kern Counts", to increase awareness about the Census and encourage residents to participate.
When not all populations are counted, local government agencies and programs can lose federal funds and important infrastructure investments. An accurate count allows Census data is used to determine the amount of federal dollars needed for government programs, like Head Start, Medicare, Pell grants, highway planning and construction, and reduced-price school lunch.
