Covid 19 and the Economy
Covid 19 Dashboard – La Paz County
PERCENT OF LABOR FORCE UNEMPLOYED
Not Seasonally Adjusted (June 2021 number is provisional)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics
In January 2020, approximately 6.3 percent of La Paz County’s total labor force was unemployed. This increased to 9.9 percent of La Paz County’s total labor force in April 2020, with a second peak of 9.4 percent in July 2020. These are the revised figures published by BLS in April 2021.
For June 2021, BLS provisionally estimates that 8.4 percent of La Paz County’s total labor force was unemployed.
GOOGLE COMMUNITY MOBILITY DATA
Source: Google LLC “Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports”.
https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/ Accessed: August 18, 2021
Google’s mobility reports show relative changes, rather than absolute visitors or duration. The chart above shows how visitors to (or time spent in) three types of place have changed compared to the median value for the corresponding day of the week during Google’s January 3 – February 6 2020 baseline in La Paz County. (Please note: gaps in the chart’s lines represent days when Google did not collect data.)
Work trips were up to 25.1 percent lower than the January 3 – February 6 2020 baseline in mid-April last year during the first wave of the virus. In July 2020, when the unemployment rate in the county was 9.4 percent, there were up to 43.9 percent fewer work trips than the baseline. During August 1-18, 2021, work trips were up to 37.6 percent lower than the baseline.
Retail and recreation trips were up to 62.1 percent lower than the January 3 – February 6 2020 baseline in mid-April last year. During August 1-14, 2021, retail and recreation trips were up to 41.4 percent lower than the baseline.
Grocery and pharmacy store visits were up to 42.4 percent lower than the January 3 – February 6 2020 baseline in mid-April last year. During August 1-14, 2021, grocery and pharmacy store visits were up to 40.8 percent lower than the baseline.
TAXABLE SALES
Taxable sales data is collated by the Arizona Department of Revenue. To minimize the potential for reporting and accounting errors, the table below compares total taxable sales for two purchase categories for 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties (combined). The two excluded counties are Maricopa County and Pima County. The table compares taxable sales reported in the March 2019 through December 2019 time horizon with those reported March 2020 through December 2020.
Total retail activity has increased 8.1 percent in the 13 Arizona counties (combined) compared to the same ten months in 2019, but the distribution of 2020’s retail activity by type of store will be very different. Grocery and home improvement stores will both in all probability account for a greater proportion of total retail activity in 2020 compared to 2019. Restaurant and Bar purchases are down 8.9 percent in all 13 counties (combined) compared to the same ten months in 2019.
Comparing both full calendar years, total retail activity in CY2020 in the 13 counties (combined) is 8.6 percent higher than CY2019. Total restaurant and bar purchases in CY2020 in the 13 counties (combined) is 6.5 percent lower than CY2019.
| Purchase Category | March 2019 – December 2019 | March 2020 – December 2020 | Percent Change |
| Retail | $10,300,684,013 | $11,132,147,662 | +8.1% |
| Restaurants and Bars | $2,220,731,587 | $2,022,174,652 | -8.9% |
The 13 counties (combined) represent 17.2 percent of total taxable retail sales, and 18.0 percent of total taxable restaurant and bar sales, in the state as reported to the Arizona Department of Revenue in CY2020.
The table below compares total taxable sales for two purchase categories for the 13 counties (combined) January through June 2021 with the same six months in 2020 and 2019. Total retail activity has increased 18.2 percent in the 13 counties (combined) compared to the same six months in 2020, and 25.1 percent compared to the same six months in 2019. Restaurant and Bar purchases are up 31.3 percent in the 13 counties (combined) compared to the same six months in 2020, and up 15.6 percent compared to there same six months in 2019.
| Purchase Category | January – June 2019 | January – June 2020 | January – June 2021 | Percent Change in 2021 Compared to 2020 |
| Retail | $6,220,063,667 | $6,584,143,029 | $7,782,464,665 | +18.2% |
| Restaurants and Bars | $1,296,249,945 | $1,141,545,656 | $1,498,925,110 | +31.3% |
The 13 counties (combined) represent 16.7 percent of total taxable retail sales, and 17.6 percent of total taxable restaurant and bar sales, in the state as reported to the Arizona Department of Revenue for the first six months of CY2021.