Officials Concerned About Tornadoes Affecting Census Counts

(ONN) – Tornadoes that destroyed and damaged hundreds of homes in western Ohio are complicating population counts for next year’s census.

The count starts at the end of January 2020, and census experts worry about how the Dayton area will fare since the region is still cleaning up from Memorial Day tornadoes.

The Dayton Daily News reports there were 2,200 structures destroyed or left uninhabitable in Montgomery County alone.

Many of those structures were homes and apartments, and a large number of those residents have moved or will move.

If a home is not habitable as of April 1, 2020, residents can’t be counted there even if they plan to return.

The Regional Census Bureau says it has hired thousands of employees to respond to the issue and communities across the area have created committees to help obtain accurate counts.