continues to recover and, with the broad availability and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, we anticipate continued improvements in commercial and consumer activity, our local economy, and the U.S. economy. On July 1, 2021, the State of Maryland lifted the state of emergency.
While there are reasons for optimism, we recognize that our customers are experiencing varying degrees of financial distress, which we expect to continue into the second half of 2021. Commercial activity continues to improve, but has not yet returned to the levels existing before the outbreak of the pandemic, which may result in our borrowers’ inability to meet their loan obligations. Economic pressures and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic have also resulted in changes in consumer spending behaviors, which may negatively impact the demand for loans and other services we offer. In addition, our loan portfolio includes customers in industries such as hotels, restaurants and caterers, arts / entertainment / recreation, and retail commercial real estate, all of which have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that these industries may take longer to recover as some consumers may be hesitant to return to full social interaction or may change their spending habits on a more permanent basis as a result of the pandemic. We continue to monitor these customers closely.
In addition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, market interest rates declined significantly, with the 10-year Treasury bond falling to a low of 0.52% in August 2020. While this rate steadily increased from its low to a high of 1.73% at March 31, 2021, this rate has fallen since that time to 1.45% at June 30, 2021 and to 1.23% at July 30, 2021. Additionally, in March 2020, the Federal Open Market Committee reduced the targeted federal funds interest rate range to 0% - 0.25%; this low rate was still in effect as of June 30, 2021. A continuing low interest rate environment could have, possibly materially, an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The ultimate extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations is currently uncertain and will depend on various developments and other factors, including the effect of governmental and private sector initiatives, the ability to reach a sufficient vaccination rate to achieve herd immunity, whether such vaccinations will be effective against any resurgence of the virus, including new strains such as the Delta variant, and the ability of customers and businesses to return to, and remain in, their pre-pandemic routines. In addition, it is reasonably possible that certain significant estimates made in our financial statements could be materially and adversely affected in the near term as a result of these conditions.
Lending Operations and Accommodations to Borrowers
We actively participated in the Small Business Administration's (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES” Act), as amended and extended. Lending under the PPP commenced on April 3, 2020 and the SBA notified lenders that PPP funds were exhausted on or around April 16, 2020. On April 24, 2020, additional funds were allocated to the PPP and were available through August 8, 2020. An additional stimulus package, approved on December 27, 2020, authorized additional PPP funds. While the PPP program ended on May 31, 2021, we are now focused on assisting our customers through the loan forgiveness process.
We originated $201.0 million of PPP loans in 2020, consisting of 1,062 loans with an average loan size of $189 thousand. During the second quarter of 2021, 329 PPP loans originated in 2020, with an aggregate principal balance of $62.5 million, were forgiven. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, 738 loans originated in 2020, with an aggregate principal balance of $122.6 million, were forgiven. Of the 1,062 PPP loans we originated in 2020, 887 had been forgiven totaling $152.7 million through June 30, 2021, representing 83.5% of the number of 2020 PPP loans and 76.0% of 2020 principal balances.
After the relaunch of the program by the SBA on January 19, 2021, we originated $100.5 million of PPP loans in the first and second quarters of 2021, consisting of 591 loans with an average loan size of $170 thousand; $4.8 million of this total were originated in the second quarter of 2021 before the program ended. Of these 2021 originations, 36 loans, with an aggregate principal balance of $2.4 million, were forgiven during the second quarter of 2021.
We received processing fees from the SBA for the PPP loans originated in 2020 totaling $6.7 million, which were deferred. In addition, we deferred $782 thousand of origination costs attributable to the 2020 PPP originations. We also received processing fees from the SBA for the PPP loans originated in the first and second quarter of 2021 totaling $4.2 million, which were deferred. In addition, we also deferred $547 thousand of origination costs attributable to the PPP loans