Interactive graph shows Sacramento bar and restaurant foot traffic after latest COVID surge

Sacramentans went to restaurants and bars more frequently in March compared to the month before, according to points of interest data.

Compared to pre-pandemic foot traffic in January 2020, frequency is still down 29%, according to data collecting service Safe Graph. But from February to March, there was an 11 percentage point increase.

To start the year, local establishments saw a major dip in foot traffic, which coincided with a surge in the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Businesses continued to experience lowered foot traffic in February, though slightly up from the month before.

A visit is defined as staying at the location for more than four minutes, according to Safe Graph. Use the interactive graph below to compare cities in the capital region:

Other cities in the area have roughly followed Sacramento’s foot traffic trend.

COVID-19 cases in Sacramento County have significantly declined since the beginning of the year, with the most recent case rate — an unadjusted seven-day average divided by population per 100,000 — at 4, down from a peak of 253.7 in January, according to Sacramento County’s public health dashboard.

This story was originally published April 16, 2022 at 5:00 AM.