Southern Illinois News

Southern Illinois’ piece of the federal funding pie is at risk for the upcoming decade as the U.S. Census response lags far below the rest of the state.

ABC 7 reported only about 46% of Carbondale households had responded to the census as of mid-August, which represented a sharp drop off from the 69% responding in the remainder of the state. For each person who responds to the Census, an estimated $1,600 of funding a year – or $16,000 a decade – is realized, which goes toward infrastructure improvements, educations and at-risk programs that would suffer significant financial impacts.

The Census is conducted once every decade by law. In addition to federal funding, it determines representation in the House of Representatives and Electoral College for every state.

Part of the problem for southern Illinois can be linked back to the COVID-19 pandemic. Southern Illinois, where Carbondale is located, is home to Southern Illinois University. Students are counted against where they attend school rather than where their homes are.

Once the coronavirus pandemic hit, classes were dismissed, and students were no longer on campus to be counted. ABC 7 reported in traditional times, a student body can be difficult to count and in a pandemic it is even harder. 

ABC 7 reported Jeanine Beasley, the media coordinator for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Chicago office, said the agency and university are working together to ensure students who were living on and off campus are counted to federal dollars find their way to the region.