The participation rate for the town in the ongoing Census is already at an astounding 83 percent - putting Tombstone ahead of both national and state levels. Cochise County and the surrounding five counties all have rates ranging between 50 and 70 percent, putting them on par with the national rate of 66 percent.

Tombstone's rate of participation in the 2000 Census was only 54 percent.

Tombstone has taken a unique approach in achieving such a high turnout this time around - challenging Deadwood, S.D., to see which will be the most compliant.

"Tombstone, like Deadwood, has been pretty successful in keeping their heritage alive, and now they've issued a challenge," said Deadwood Mayor Francis Toscana in a press release.

The two wild-west towns are competing to see which can achieve the best participation rate in the 2010 Census.

"We aren't going to let Tombstone beat us in this Old West showdown," Toscana added.

Tombstone Mayor Dusty Escapule was optimistic about Tombstone's chances at victory.

"Tombstone didn't get the name 'the town too tough to die' by being lazy," he said.

Census data so far supports Tombstone's chances — Deadwood has a participation rate of only 65 percent as of April 14.

Participation rates come from forms the Census Bureau mailed to households across the country in March. Beginning in May, the Bureau will send workers to homes and apartments that either did not receive forms in the mail or failed to return them.

According to the Census Bureau's estimates, Tombstone is estimated to have grown slightly from the counted population in 2000, which was 1,504. According to historical Census Bureau data, the projected population is less than half of the town's highest recorded population - more than 3,400 in 1880.

Tombstone saw it's lowest population in 1900 when fewer than 700 residents
inhabited the city.

Census participation is important for several reasons: It is a major factor in determining how more than $400 billion of federal money is spent every year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Census also determines how representatives to Congress are allotted among the states, and is likely to have major implications in elections for the next decade. Additionally, federal law mandates participation.

"The outcome is critical for ensuring that we have both the data and the funds that we need to plan for our future, " said Cochise County Supervisors Ann English, Richard Searle and Pat Call in a letter to county stakeholders.