Councilmember Jean Quan's e-newsletter observes this week that Oakland fell below the national average of a 56 percent participation rate of census questionaires. The city-wide rate is just 46 percent returned. (Wisconsin and Iowa, on the other hand, seem to be kicking butt!)

Quan further points out that the city depends on the census numbers to get its fair share of federal funding for housing, health, schools and other programs. 

You can see how your neighborhood is doing with a fascinating interactive map created by the Census Bureau. (I found the map a little confusing to navigate. After entering your zip code in the box to the upper right, make sure to click "Local View" on the left under the navigation tools.)

By moving the curser over the map, neighborhood census questionaire return rates are displayed. Hill neighborhoods are at 58 to 61 percent or more. As one goes downhill, the numbers fall. The Piedmont Avenue neighborhood is at 51 to 62 percent, depending on the tract.

Moving west into Temescal, numbers fall to 46 to 50 percent and, in the further west flatlands of West Oakland and San Pablo Golden Gate neighborhood, the return rate ranges from 25 to 37 percent.

According to one interested neighbor who responded to Quan's newsletter, "It appears that the parts of town that need these funds and services most are the ones most reluctant to be counted."

If you procrastinate, according to Quan, the census bureau will follow with one more mailing and then a home visit.