The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on Arizona’s economy, especially when it comes to job losses, according to the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Now we …
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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on Arizona’s economy, especially when it comes to job losses, according to the Maricopa Association of Governments.
Now we know just where those job losses are occurring.
New maps created by MAG show there are no areas in the state that have escaped being hit by unemployment claims, according to a release. However, the Maricopa region had the most losses, experiencing about two-thirds of the state’s unemployment claims. Other areas with traditionally stable employment numbers also were affected.
In partnership with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, MAG has mapped by ZIP code the number of Arizona unemployment insurance claims filed since the start of stay-at-home orders. The data cover claims between March 14 and May 14.
“We went from record low unemployment levels to record increases in weekly unemployment claims,” stated Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, chair of MAG’s Economic Development Committee. “The impact of the pandemic on our workforce is staggering.”
ZIP codes with the largest numbers of unemployment claims are areas with the largest populations, the release states. This includes the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, and areas near Flagstaff, Yuma, Prescott and Kingman.
The Yuma ZIP code 85364 saw the most claims during this time, with more than 6,700. In the Phoenix metro area, ZIP codes with the highest numbers of unemployment claims are:
“These maps can be used by employers and policymakers to understand where there are large numbers of people looking for work,” stated Mesa Councilmember David Luna and Vice Chair of the EDC. “We can use that knowledge to target resources to the local economies that need help the most.”
MAG’s Regional Analytics Division has created maps for both Arizona and the MAG region. Each area has one map that shows the total number of unemployment claims by ZIP code, and another showing the number of jobless claims as a percentage of civilian (nonmilitary) workforce living in each ZIP code. The final map is a larger format overview for the MAG region with an overlay of ZIP code numbers and filings.