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The latest state unemployment figures show the expected significant hit of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Texas economy.
Hays County has a 12.8% unemployment rate for April, matching the statewide figure. The Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area unemployment rate was slightly better at 12.2%; however the unemployment rate for the city of Kyle hit 13.3%.
Hays County comes in at No. 23 out of the top 25 counties that were heavily affected by unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The most affected businesses in Hays County include dine-in restaurants, clothing stores, hotels and physicians' offices.
While the unemployment rate in Texas rising in previous months, unemployment claims have begun to slow. The number of unemployment claims were 1,127 for the week ending April 25, and fell to 887 for the week ending May 9.
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