In the early phase of Texas’s plan to reopen the state, many Austinites will remain employed, following an unprecedented, excruciating eight-week economic downturn. What began with the March 6 shutdown of South by Southwest cascaded into a full stay-at-home order March 25, which prohibited Austinites from performing any activities deemed “nonessential.”
Restaurants, bars, retails and other small businesses suffered under the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic and the extraordinary measures to contain it. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, statewide numbers show restaurants, dentist offices, hotels and department stories were hit hardest by layoffs.
The Texas Workforce Commission has also released location data of the ZIP codes across the state, that have seen the most unemployment claims. In Central Austin’s 12 ZIP codes, 12,003 residents filed for unemployment between March 18-April 18.
Below, see visual breakdowns for each ZIP code and the impact of coronavirus layoffs.
