This is a 50 percent increase over the previous month when there were two licenses issued.
Pennsylvania suffered a surge of unemployment and business closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The average annual unemployment rate in the state more than doubled in 2020 to 9.1 percent. This was the highest annual unemployment rate in Pennsylvania since 2003. Since then, the unemployment rate has been decreasing, reaching 4.3 percent in early 2023.
Comparison of business licenses issued by County and Month
| County | Issued in May | Issued in April | Percentage change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny County | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Bucks County | 3 | 3 | 0% |
| Chester County | 3 | 2 | 50% |
| Cumberland County | 2 | 1 | 100% |
| Erie County | 1 | 1 | 0% |
| Monroe County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Montgomery County | 1 | 6 | -83.3% |
| Philadelphia County | 10 | 8 | 25% |
| York County | 1 | 1 | 0% |
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