The U.S. Census Bureau says southwest

Kansas is lagging behind the rest of the state in participating in

the census.

The U.S. Census says more than 20 counties in southwest Kansas

have participation rates below the state’s 75 percent participation

rate.

The Hutchinson News reports that the participation rate is the

lowest in Hamilton County, at 51 percent.

Rich Gerdes, assistant regional Census Bureau manager in Kansas

City, Mo., says western Kansas has historically been more difficult

to survey than other parts of the state.

He says census workers will be visiting households that did not

mail back their surveys, starting on Saturday.