Money Matters

San Antonio ranks among 5 cities with greatest financial stress during pandemic

San Antonio isn't the only Texas city at the top of this list.

Photo by Sean Pavone/Getty Images

During the pandemic-produced recession, financial woes are weighing heavily on many Texans, including San Antonians.

A study released this week by personal finance website WalletHub found San Antonio ranks fourth in the U.S. for financial distress during the pandemic.

To examine where Americans are struggling the most financially, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across nine key metrics that were rolled into six categories. Factors taken into consideration include average credit score, number of bankruptcy filings between June 2019 and June 2020, and online searches regarding debt and loans.

Among the categories, San Antonio ranks:

No. 1 for online searches for loans.
No. 5 for credit score (with an average score of 637 in September, the second lowest on the list).
No. 12 for people in distress, which looked at the share of people with accounts in distress in September, as well as the change from January-September.

WalletHub defines a distressed account as one for which payments have been reduced, skipped, or delayed.

Among Texas cities, San Antonio has a lot of company in WalletHub's top 10. Houston appears at No. 3, followed by Dallas at No. 5, Austin at No. 8, and Fort Worth at No. 10.

In September, the statewide unemployment rate was 8.3 percent, while the nationwide unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. Last month, the Houston area's unemployment rate stood at 9.6 percent, up from 8.1 percent the previous month — the highest among the state's major metros. The September jobless rate was 7.8 percent in San Antonio, and slightly better elsewhere: 6.4 percent in Austin, 7.4 percent in Dallas, and 7.6 percent in Fort Worth.

According to the study, Houston and Dallas tie with San Antonio for online searches about loans. Houston is also tied for first regarding online searches about debt.

In all, 13 Texas cities are included in the ranking. Irving demonstrates the most financial stability of the 13 cities, according to WalletHub, with a financial stress ranking at No. 72.

The highest financial distress is found in Las Vegas, says WalletHub, followed by Chicago.

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A version of this story originally appeared on our sister site, InnovationMap.com.

wallethub

PAWS-ITIVELY PAMPERED

Popular San Antonio doggy daycare opens new location in Alamo Ranch

Photo by Hayffield L on Unsplash

The award-winning Dogtopia has gained so much love from the local community thanks to its thoughtful design approach and programming.

Even dogs deserve a little pampering. Dogtopia, an innovative doggy daycare and spa in San Antonio, is growing their reach with the grand opening of a new Alamo Ranch location, with a fourth new location planned for Alamo Heights later this month.

The award-winning facility has gained so much love from the local community thanks to its thoughtful design approach and programming. All aspects of Dogtopia centers around providing the utmost care for your furry best friends. Dogs are separated by size and temperament into one of three playrooms to ensure the best daycare experience without causing any stress.

In addition to their daycare, Dogtopia also has boarding and grooming services for your companions. They have a firm belief that all dogs can benefit from doggy daycare, because it increases their socialization skills and lessens any repressed anxiety.

Every dog goes through an intake process consisting of a meet-and-greet session to view the dog’s paperwork, behavioral history, and their health. Thorough assessments are also made to distinguish any physical sensitivities a dog could have. The intake process is necessary for the safety of all dogs under Dogtopia’s care.

Dogtopia’s team members, dubbed “Canine Coaches,” are more than just playroom attendants. Every coach is required to complete a curriculum program designed by a registered canine behaviorist, all with the goal of the animals receiving the proper care and attention they need. The curriculum has been approved by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). That’s not all of their training; team members also complete canine behaviorist-designed training on body language, behavior, and health.

Dogtopia’s new Alamo Ranch location is now open at 11726 Alamo Ranch Parkway. Other locations in San Antonio include one in Stoke Oak and one on De Zavala Road. A fourth location in Alamo Heights is expected to open later in March.

More information about Dogtopia’s services can be found on dogtopia.com.

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