The Unemployment Rate in the 25 Places Hit Hardest by COVID-19

Gabrielle Olya
5 min read
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Mandatory Credit: Photo by Sue Ogrocki/AP/Shutterstock (10706877b)People wait to speak with representatives from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission about unemployment claims, in Midwest City, Okla.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Sue Ogrocki/AP/Shutterstock (10706877b)People wait to speak with representatives from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission about unemployment claims, in Midwest City, Okla.

The coronavirus pandemic has not only affected the health and lives of millions of Americans, but it has also affected people?s livelihoods, with many people losing their jobs as a result of lockdowns, closures and a suffering economy. Some of the places that have been hit hardest by the pandemic in terms of positive cases and deaths have also been hit hard by unemployment ? in some of these areas, unemployment reached 15% or greater as of August.

To see how unemployment looks in these areas, GOBankingRates found the 25 counties hardest hit in terms of total cases ? ranked from lowest total cases to most ? and then found the unemployment rate as of August 2020.

Take a closer look at unemployment rates in these areas that have suffered from more coronavirus cases.

Last updated: Oct. 29, 2020

Detroit Woodward Ave.
Detroit Woodward Ave.

25. Wayne County, Michigan

  • August 2020 unemployment: 10.2%

  • Total cases: 38,146

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,181

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 23.7%

  • Total deaths: 3,022

Residential street and living houses in New Rochelle, Westchester, at beautiful sunny day.
Residential street and living houses in New Rochelle, Westchester, at beautiful sunny day.

24. Westchester County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 39,476

  • Cases per 100,000: 4,080

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 8.2%

  • Total deaths: 1,467

Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous municipality of the U.
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous municipality of the U.

23. Salt Lake County, Utah

  • August 2020 unemployment: 4.7%

  • Total cases: 40,713

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,508

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 43.1%

  • Total deaths: 288

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MAY 21st: Sculpture art of seagulls taking flight at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida on May 21st, 2016.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MAY 21st: Sculpture art of seagulls taking flight at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida on May 21st, 2016.

22. Orange County, Florida

  • August 2020 unemployment: 11%

  • Total cases: 43,453

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,118

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 5.8%

  • Total deaths: 530

People on the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa FL.
People on the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa FL.

21. Hillsborough County, Florida

  • August 2020 unemployment: 6.8%

  • Total cases: 45,455

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,088

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 6%

  • Total deaths: 750

Montauk-New-York
Montauk-New-York

20. Suffolk County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 48,029

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,253

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 9.9%

  • Total deaths: 2,018

11257, Cities, Horizontal, USA
11257, Cities, Horizontal, USA

19. Nassau County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 48,596

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,581

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 10%

  • Total deaths: 2,208

Advice: How To File For Unemployment and What To Do After Losing Your Job

City skyline of west palm beach.
City skyline of west palm beach.

18. Palm Beach County, Florida

  • August 2020 unemployment: 8.5%

  • Total cases: 49,011

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,274

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 6.5%

  • Total deaths: 1,490

Mission Beach Sunset and View of Downtown, San Diego California, USA.
Mission Beach Sunset and View of Downtown, San Diego California, USA.

17. San Diego County, California

  • August 2020 unemployment: 9.9%

  • Total cases: 51,982

  • Cases per 100,000: 1,557

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 5.9%

  • Total deaths: 853

Cars wait at stoplight next to Leddy's Boot store at the landmark Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Cars wait at stoplight next to Leddy's Boot store at the landmark Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.

16. Tarrant County, Texas

  • August 2020 unemployment: 6.3%

  • Total cases: 53,629

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,551

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 6.4%

  • Total deaths: 783

Fountain at Aileen B. Ryan Oval in Parkchester, Bronx
Fountain at Aileen B. Ryan Oval in Parkchester, Bronx

15. Bronx County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 54,409

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,836

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 11.2%

  • Total deaths: 4,978

Southern California summer seashore color is blue or red.
Southern California summer seashore color is blue or red.

14. Orange County, California

  • August 2020 unemployment: 15%

  • Total cases: 56,868

  • Cases per 100,000: 1,791

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 6.5%

  • Total deaths: 1,409

San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside?San Bernardino metropolitan area and that serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States.
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside?San Bernardino metropolitan area and that serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States.

13. San Bernardino County, California

  • August 2020 unemployment: 11%

  • Total cases: 59,696

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,738

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 6.8%

  • Total deaths: 1,021

Riverside, Calif.
Riverside, Calif.

12. Riverside County, California

  • August 2020 unemployment: 11%

  • Total cases: 63,284

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,562

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 7.2%

  • Total deaths: 1,269

San Antonio, Texas, USA cityscape at the River Walk.
San Antonio, Texas, USA cityscape at the River Walk.

11. Bexar County, Texas

  • August 2020 unemployment: 6.6%

  • Total cases: 63,328

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,161

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 7.6%

  • Total deaths: 1,381

Read More: $5 a Week & the State of Unemployment Benefits Across the US

View of Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan at sunset with sun Flare and a blank space.
View of Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan at sunset with sun Flare and a blank space.

10. Kings County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 73,123

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,856

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 15.1%

  • Total deaths: 7,370

LAS VEGAS - AUGUST 13: An aerial view of Las Vegas Strip on August 13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LAS VEGAS - AUGUST 13: An aerial view of Las Vegas Strip on August 13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

9. Clark County, Nevada

  • August 2020 unemployment: 15.5%

  • Total cases: 74,950

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,307

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 83%

  • Total deaths: 1,469

Queens New York
Queens New York

8. Queens County, New York

  • August 2020 unemployment: 13%

  • Total cases: 75,109

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,332

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 15.5%

  • Total deaths: 7,286

East Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, United States.
East Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, United States.

7. Broward County, Florida

  • August 2020 unemployment: 8.5%

  • Total cases: 81,107

  • Cases per 100,000: 4,153

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 10.7%

  • Total deaths: 1,510

Night lights fill the sky and reflect in the water under the bridge in Dallas, Texas.
Night lights fill the sky and reflect in the water under the bridge in Dallas, Texas.

6. Dallas County, Texas

  • August 2020 unemployment: 6.3%

  • Total cases: 89,433

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,393

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 10.7%

  • Total deaths: 1,194

Sunrise in Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, Arizona.
Sunrise in Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, Arizona.

5. Maricopa County, Arizona

  • August 2020 unemployment: 5.9%

  • Total cases: 149,720

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,338

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 64.8%

  • Total deaths: 3,510

Houston, Texas, USA downtown skyline over the highways at dusk.
Houston, Texas, USA downtown skyline over the highways at dusk.

4. Harris County, Texas

  • August 2020 unemployment: 8.1%

  • Total cases: 153,955

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,266

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 18.4%

  • Total deaths: 2,728

Evening Traffic on Michigan Avenue at the Chicago River.
Evening Traffic on Michigan Avenue at the Chicago River.

3. Cook County, Illinois

  • August 2020 unemployment: 11.7%

  • Total cases: 163,912

  • Cases per 100,000: 3,183

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 47.6%

  • Total deaths: 5,357

Miami Beach, Florida, USA - April 25, 2016: View along Ocean Drive along South Beach Miami in the historic Art Deco District with hotels, restaurant, people and classic car visible.
Miami Beach, Florida, USA - April 25, 2016: View along Ocean Drive along South Beach Miami in the historic Art Deco District with hotels, restaurant, people and classic car visible.

2. Miami-Dade County, Florida

  • August 2020 unemployment: 8.5%

  • Total cases: 178,354

  • Cases per 100,000: 6,565

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 23.6%

  • Total deaths: 3,540

Beautiful sunset of Los Angeles downtown skyline and palm trees in foreground.
Beautiful sunset of Los Angeles downtown skyline and palm trees in foreground.

1. Los Angeles County, California

  • August 2020 unemployment: 15%

  • Total cases: 288,451

  • Cases per 100,000: 2,873

  • Percentage of state?s cases: 33%

  • Total deaths: 6,876

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: In order to discover the unemployment rate in the 50 places hit hardest by COVID-19, GOBankingrates first found the 25 counties hardest hit in terms of total cases and total deaths as of Oct. 19, 2020. With these 50 cities isolated, GOBankingRates then found the following factors for all 50 cities: (1) its corresponding metropolitan statistical area as sourced from the Office of Management and Budget: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) report; (2) August 2020 unemployment rate for its MSA; (3) total cases of COVID-19; (4) cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people; (4) percent of its state?s cases that it represents; and (5) total deaths caused by COVID-19. All data was collected on and up to date as of Oct. 20, 2020.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Unemployment Rate in the 25 Places Hit Hardest by COVID-19

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