months of 2020. During the same period our allowance for loan losses increased $4.6 million, or 77.4%, to reflect the growth in our portfolio and the significant negative impact of the change in the quantitative and qualitative factors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Non-accrual loans decreased $3.1 million, or 34.3%, to $5.9 million between year-end 2019 and September 30, 2020. During the same timeframe non-performing assets decreased $3.4 million, or 32.4%, to $7.0 million at September 30, 2020.
Total Liabilities. Total liabilities increased $133.3 million, or 15.4%, to $997.4 million at September 30, 2020, primarily due to an increase in deposits of $142.9 million and the establishment of the lease liability included in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $6.4 million, offset by a decrease of $11.4 million in FHLB advances and a $4.1 million decrease in mortgagors’ escrow accounts.
Deposits. Deposits increased $142.9 million, or 18.5%, to $916.2 million at September 30, 2020. Interest bearing accounts grew $70.5 million, or 11.9%, to $664.6 million while non-interest bearing balances increased $72.3 million, or 40.4%, finishing the third quarter at $251.6 million. The increase in deposits was primarily due to the inflow of cash from PPP loans and an apparent flight to safety as investors fled the stock market’s volatility.
Borrowed Funds. Advances from the FHLB decreased $11.4 million from $66.3 million at December 31, 2019 to $54.9 million at September 30, 2020 as the Company was able to utilize deposit growth to fund asset growth.
Stockholders’ Equity. Stockholders’ equity increased $5.3 million to $115.2 million, primarily due to net income of $3.6 million and an increase in net unrealized gains on available for sale securities of $1.6 million. At September 30, 2020, the Company’s book value per share was $10.35. At September 30, 2020, the Company’s ratio of stockholders’ equity-to-total assets was 10.4%. Unearned common stock held by the Bank’s employee stock ownership plan was $4.0 million at September 30, 2020.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019
Net Income. Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2020 decreased $941,000, or 45.0%, to $1.2 million, or $0.10 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of $2.1 million, or $0.20 per basic and diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Interest and dividend income increased $49,000, or 0.5%, interest expense decreased $515,000, or 21.8%, the provision for loan losses increased $1.8 million or 400.0%, noninterest income increased $637,000, or 43.7%, while other expenses and taxes increased $342,000, or 4.6%, between comparable quarters.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, net income was $3.6 million, or $0.33 per basic and diluted share, compared to $4.2 million, or $0.39 per basic and diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Interest income increased by $2.5 million, or 8.3%, and noninterest income increased $1.3 million, or 30.1%, between the two nine-month periods. These revenue gains were offset by a $153,000, or 2.4%, increase in interest expense, a $3.7 million, or 183.8%, increase in the provision for loan losses, and a $576,000, or 2.6%, increase in other noninterest and tax expenses during the equivalent timeframes.
Net Interest Income. Net interest income increased $564,000, or 6.7%, to $9.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2019. The ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities improved 4.6% to 143.16% while our net interest margin declined by 45 basis points to 3.40% when comparing the third quarter of 2020 to the same period in 2019.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, net interest income increased $2.4 million, or 9.9%, to $26.3 million from $24.0 million for the comparable 2019 period. Overall there was a 33 basis point decline in net interest margin to 3.47%, when comparing the respective nine month periods, while the ratio of average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities improved 1.7% to 139.69%.