It’s Census Day. Here’s a Video About Md.’s Smallest Town

It’s Census Day ― the day Americans are supposed to fill out their forms so federal officials can get a once-in-a-decade population count for all 50 states.

In preparation for Census Day, Seth Kaplan, a broadcast journalist, visited Port Tobacco, in Charles County, the smallest incorporated town in Maryland.

After the 2010 Census, the town’s population was deemed to be 13. How big will it be this year? How are the town’s residents preparing for the Census? And in a town this small, is a count really necessary?

In Kaplan’s engaging 2 1/2-minute video report, you’ll meet many of Port Tobacco’s residents and learn about how the town used to be a lot more vibrant.

Kaplan’s report was filmed and produced before the outbreak of COVID-19 ― well before anyone thought much about the concept of social distancing ― so it may seem a little jarring in today’s troubled times.

But it serves as a reminder of how unique Maryland’s smallest towns are ― and is also a reminder to complete that Census form!

Seth Kaplan is the transportation analyst for NPR’s “Here & Now.” He also hosts the “Airlines Confidential” podcast and authored the book “Glory Lost and Found: How Delta Climbed from Despair to Dominance in the Post-9/11 Era.” He got his start in local TV news, where he loved reporting feature stories like this one.

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