Key findings from York County Economic Development survey finds 43% of business plan to increase staffing

York County Economic Development (YCED) has released the findings of the latest Business Pulse Survey. This semiannual survey, modeled after the Census Bureau’s Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), offers valuable insights into regional economic conditions and the evolving business climate. York County businesses rate their current “State of Business” at an average of 6.8 out of 10, showing a slight improvement compared to the previous survey. This signals cautious optimism despite external economic pressures. Forty-eight percent of respondents reported missing their revenue expectations over the past six months, up from 44% in the previous survey. Forty-three percent of surveyed businesses plan to increase staffing levels in the next six months, a significant rise compared to 42% in the previous survey. Forty percent of businesses also reported increasing staff over the past six months, showcasing York County’s strong labor market. As with prior surveys, this iteration targeted executives in manufacturing, distribution, corporate headquarters, and back-office operations. The survey was distributed to 264 companies and had a response rate of 15%. It was conducted from mid-July to mid-August 2024.