A special census is an official population count conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau at the request (and expense) of a city, school district, or county in between decennial censuses. Done right, it ensures towns get accurately credited for current population levels and not outdated numbers. That count can boost everything from road funds to school planning and grant eligibility.
Tiffin is experiencing extraordinary growth. The 2020 Census recorded just over 4,500 residents; however, local projections estimate population has surged more than 60% and will likely continue to climb. With this projection, the City of Tiffin has launched a special census process that will kick off this fall. This is a strategic step that could unlock new funding, support infrastructure, and bring lasting benefits to the community.
North Liberty’s experience is a perfect blueprint for Tiffin. In 2010, their census pegged population at ~13,400, but five years later local leaders estimated they’d surpassed 17,000 residents. That’s a gap of nearly 4,000 people who were not counted, and it misshaped funding from the state and federal level that channels funding to local communities.
So what did North Liberty do? In 2015, they invested to fund a special census, and it ensured that their full federal and state funding was appropriately collected. Their annual share of road-use tax rose by over $280,000 every year. That’s nearly a full return on their special census process investment in just over a year, and it is a sustained return that continues annually.
What Tiffin Stands to Gain:
- Infrastructure Funding: Roads, snow removal, street maintenance all becomes more sustainable with higher state and federal dollars.
- Budget Relief: With more funding comes potentially less pressure on property taxes for residents.
- Strategic Planning: Accurate, timely data supports better infrastructure, school, housing, and public service decisions.
- Long-term Value: As North Liberty showed, the investment isn’t one and done. It’s a multiplier across years.
Tiffin’s special census is more than a count, it’s a strategic investment that can reshape service delivery, funding, and planning across the city for years to come. Success hinges on resident cooperation, whether online or via follow-up visits, and each participant means dollars staying local. North Liberty’s model proves that timely action paired with accurate data is a game-changer for vibrant, fast-growing communities.
