2010 Census Cuts Costs

As the 2010 Census nears completion, it will end the fiscal year 22 percent under budget and return $1.6 billion to the Treasury.

In part, saving money was made easier because 72 percent of households completed the mail-in form (analysts had predicted a 65% return rate). Commerce Secretary Gary Locke noted that “For every 1 percent additional mail-back response, we save some $85 million in paying people to go door-to-door.”

Additionally, about $800 million set aside for disaster contingency planning was fortunately not needed.

The official census report will be out later this year.

Read the Census Director’s Blog here.

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