MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University students living locally in their own residences or apartments off-campus are being urged to participate in the Murfreesboro 2025 Special Census.
Off-campus MTSU students are encouraged to fill out the census form, which can also be done online by going to the city’s website at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/ and clicking on the special census link. The census can also be accessed through the QR code in the image above.
The initial Feb. 28 deadline has been extended until May to increase participation.
The special census covers the city of Murfreesboro and aims to update and verify the city’s population. The official certified population for the city is 152,769 based on the federal census in 2020. Based on 7,500 new residential permits and net migration, the true population has easily increased by 20,000 since the 2020 census, but that must be verified, according to a city news release.
The city then uses the updated census data to receive its allocation of state-shared revenue, which is estimated to be an additional $3.5 million annually with the suspected population increase since the 2020 federal census.
On-campus MTSU residents have automatically been counted in the census. But forms have been mailed to all Murfreesboro addresses, including those of off-campus students.
Malia Grubbs, project coordinator for the special census, emphasized the importance of filling out the form, adding that any resident who fills out the online version will be placed into a drawing for a $100 amazon gift card.
“It’s already money that the state has, and it’s important for our growing community to get its fair share,” said Grubbs.
All that’s needed is the number of people living in the residence, the first and last names of all residents — along with the physical address. For off-campus students who live in communal apartments with one or more other students or nonstudents, only one census form needs to be submitted with the names of everyone living there, though the city will remove duplicated submitted names and addresses from the final tally.
Residents should also include anyone in their household deployed in the military or away at school on the form.
Mary Evins, the director of MTSU’s chapter of the American Democracy Project and Honors research professor, advocates for MTSU’s students to be active in the civic life of the community and encourages off-campus students to participate in the census.
“This is one way for our students to demonstrate their belonging,” said Evins, “even if it’s just for now, even if it’s just for one semester.”
MTSU’s students contribute to the city, even if they are not long-term residents, though many MTSU graduates remain in the city and region after earning their degrees. Economically, politically, and socially, students are involved in the community for the duration of their time attending MTSU, Evins noted.
On-campus housing has been designated as a special housing location in which residents do not have to fill out the census packet to be included in the count.
— Jordan Reining (Jordan.Reining@mtsu.edu)
Watch the city’s short video below about its efforts to get everyone counted:
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