LOMPOC — After the conclusion of the 2020 Census on Oct. 15, the city of Lompoc and community partners reported the city had a final self-response rate of 72.9%.
This rate surpassesed Santa Barbara County’s self-response rate of 71.8%, California’s self-response rate of 69.6% and the U.S. self-response rate of 66.9%.
It also beat its 2010 self-response rate of 68.5%.
The Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization, the Santa Barbara County Promoters Network in Lompoc, the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Lompoc Unified School District all worked together, starting in January of 2020, to raise awareness and remind residents to fill out the census.
LVCHO facilitated a $35,095 grant for community outreach in the Lompoc Valley.
Outreach methods included a vehicle and bicycle caravan, video and radio messaging, media releases, social media posts and contests and the distribution of printed materials with the Lompoc Census brand.
Census takers also knocked on doors of households who didn’t initially respond.
— Grayce McCormick