This is a 400 percent increase over the previous week when there was one license 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 Week
| County | Issued in week ending Aug. 5 | Issued in week ending July 29 | Percentage change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny County | 5 | 1 | 400% |
| Bucks County | 2 | 1 | 100% |
| Cambria County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Cameron County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Chester County | 3 | 0 | - |
| Cumberland County | 3 | 0 | - |
| Delaware County | 2 | 0 | - |
| Elk County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Erie County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Fayette County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Indiana County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Jefferson County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Lawrence County | 1 | 1 | 0% |
| Lehigh County | 2 | 1 | 100% |
| Luzerne County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Mifflin County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Monroe County | 2 | 0 | - |
| Montgomery County | 1 | 2 | -50% |
| Northampton County | 1 | 1 | 0% |
| Philadelphia County | 8 | 4 | 100% |
| Union County | 2 | 0 | - |
| Washington County | 2 | 0 | - |
| Wayne County | 1 | 0 | - |
| Westmoreland County | 2 | 0 | - |
| York County | 2 | 0 | - |
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