Amid COVID-19, Where Does Texas Rank For Unemployed Workers
The unemployment line in Texas this month grew 792 percent compared to May of 2019. COVID-19 has furloughed and in too many cases let people go due to the nationwide shut down. That shut down has affected just about every business literally from A to Z. A recent WalletHub survey breaks down the numbers in Texas and for every other state and the results are shocking.As far as cities go, the WalletHub survey ranked 130 cities across the country and Amarillo ranked number 57 nationally for unemployment.
792.41% Increase in Unemployment Claims (May 2020 vs May 2019)
128,105 the week of May 18, 2020 vs 14,355 the week of May 20, 2019
21st highest increase in the U.S.
935.86% Increase in the Number of Unemployment Claims (May 2020 vs January 2020)
128,105 the week of May 18, 2020 vs 12,367 the week of January 1, 2020
9th highest increase in the U.S.
1,681.29% Increase in Unemployment Claims Since Pandemic Started
2,203,538 between the week of March 16, 2020 and the week of May 18, 2020 vs 131,062 between the week of March 18, 2019 and the week of May 20, 2019
18th lowest increase in the U.S.
Compared to the rest of the country Texas is ranked number 14 for unemployment claims. The WalletHub survey ranked the highest and lowest among states as well.
In order to identify the states that have had the biggest increases in unemployment due to COVID-19, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on increases in unemployment insurance initial claims for several key weeks. They then used those metrics to give two separate rankings to the states. The first ranking is based on the following two metrics:
Increase in Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims in 2020 vs. 2019.
This metric measures the increase in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of May 18, 2020 compared to the week of May 20, 2019.
Increase in Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims Since the Start of 2020.
This metric measures the increase in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of May 18, 2020 compared to the week of January 1, 2020.