As of today, the national participation rate in the 2010 Census is 72 percent. Knox County and Tennessee are doing a little better, at 77 percent and 74 percent, respectively.

Drilling down a little further Farragut is at 85 percent and some East Knoxville communities are in the high 40s.

I visited last weekend with a long-time friend who is doing door-to-door work for the Census Bureau in the Knoxville area. He has heard some, shall we say, interesting comments from folks who aren’t thrilled with the government and have no intention whatsoever of participating in the census.

So far, no one has threatened him with bodily harm.

I get that some people are distrustful of the government, but not participating in the census is short-sighted. Tax dollars that benefit individuals and businesses are allocated, in part, based on census data.

Here’s more info on the census.

Click here for an interactive map sowing census participation rates nationwide.