Oregon Public Broadcasting

Most Northwest households should have gotten their census forms by now. People in Idaho are well ahead of their Western neighbors in terms of mailing back their forms.

As of Wednesday, the Census Bureau reports it has received back 20 percent of the forms it delivered in Idaho.

Regional census spokeswoman Deni Luna said the return rate for Oregon is 13 percent and Washington lags behind at 10 percent.

“These are preliminary numbers, but it's the first time that we have ever done this. We're able now to track day by day and able to pool resources and help those areas that aren't doing so good. I kind of liken this to election returns in that it's not across the board. We still have a lag time for some areas. What we're seeing is nevertheless very interesting," she said.

Luna says the interactive Google map with return rates can be used to redeploy human Census takers quickly.

By the time the canvassing is over, the Census hopes to exceed the 72 percent return rate it achieved in the year 2000.Interactive Census Bureau Map