Numbers skewed

On paper, it appears that Graham County has North Carolina’s lowest response rate for the 2020 U.S. Census.  A self-response rate chart released May 2 indicated that only 19.8 percent of Graham residents have completed the decennial survey, putting the county dead last in the state.

Census needs workers

As the U.S. Census Bureau prepares for this year’s count, Murphy and Andrews have only half the number of census workers needed. Graham County has even fewer.  Though temporary, these jobs pay well, at $17 per hour and 58 cents per mile.