Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said only half of the city's residents have filled out the Census — and response rates in lower income neighborhoods are even lower at 33 percent.

"It highlights the challenges in more economically challenged communities of getting people to respond and to trust the process which is important for federal funding long term," Fulop said before knocking on doors to get residents counted at Holland Gardens, a housing complex near the Holland Tunnel.

Fulop said Jersey City had one of the largest under counts in the 2010 Census, slashing much-needed federal funding for schools, transit and other programs. 

"There are no do-overs to this," he said. "If Jersey City is going to get what is deserves in the next 10 years, we need to get the entire population of Jersey City to participate and do what they need to do which is fill out a simple form which takes no longer than 5 minutes." 

The Census response rate in the state is about 62 percent and nationally, it's 64 percent; Jersey City is significantly behind at 50 percent. 

Deja Anderson, who is managing the Census count for Jersey City, said part of the problem is 12 percent of residents don't have internet access. It's the first time residents can fill out the Census online. Anderson said the city had planned to set up portals at libraries and other locations around the neighborhood but were stopped by the pandemic. 

"We're trying to find other ways to encourage response," she said, adding that community partners are going around with tablets that let residents fill out the form in a few minutes. 

Officials are also encouraging the city's large immigrant populationto fill out the Census regardless of their citizenship status. There is no citizenship question on the ballot, despite the Trump Administration's attempts to add one. 

Fulop says if Jersey City is counted accurately this year, he expects it to surpass Newark as the largest city in New Jersey.