Census Missing Much Of South Fork

As of April 10, it’s not looking good.

In Montauk, the response rate from neighborhoods south of Montauk Highway is almost nonexistent. From U.S. Census Bureau tract 2010.07, which includes Camp Hero and all of Ditch Plains and Hither Hills, the response rate is 7.1 percent, more than six times less than the national average — 47.5 percent.

Continuing west along Montauk Highway, tract 2010.06 is comprised of all of Napeague and Beach Hampton, as well as a large chunk of Amagansett, running from the ocean north all the way to Red Dirt Road. The response rate for that entire area currently sits at 3.1 percent. Almost all of this tract is being covered by the Update Leave program, an operation which was suspended before it began, because it requires personal visits from Census workers, which is impossible due to current COVID-19 restrictions.

In East Hampton, south of Pantigo Road, this area is supposedly being contacted by the Census Bureau via the United States Postal Service. This tract, 2009.01, has a response rate of 14.2 percent, much better than tracts east, but still woefully low.

East Hampton’s western hamlet, Wainscott, on tract 2009.03, has come in at a response rate of 11.8 percent. Almost the entire hamlet, running north to Sag Harbor, responds through Update Leave.

Moving west, Sagaponack and Bridgehampton, part of the Town of Southampton, are also almost entirely under the Update Leave program. Tract 1907.14, which is mostly Sagaponack, has a return rate of 7.2 percent.

Tract 1907.12, Bridgehampton, from its border with Sagaponack west to Hayground School, has a return rate of 7.8 percent. Tract 1803, Shelter Island, entirely under Update Leave, sits at 3.9 percent. The Shinnecock Indian Nation has similar response numbers.

t.e@indyeastend.com