I've heard that because of the many niftariom of Covid rch"l many people are ordering Sifrei Torahs for their loved ones, driving demand to a historic high. And since the real money in the Stam business is in writing ST, most of the sofrim now are writing primarily ST.
IDK if that's where the real money is (for the סופרים, for the סוחרים it definitely is by virtue of it being a big ticket item with various extras such as the atzei Chaim, mantel, kesser, etc. Each of which have a profit margin for the סוחר). IINM for sofrim checking (tefillin and mezuzos) is most profitable.
Earlier this weak I leined in a ST that was recently completed. After leining I told the gabai that it seems to me like Sefer bereishis was written by a different Sofer than Sefer devorim (in which we leined since the ST was dedicated a several weeks ago), as the ksav looked very different. Someone came to me and told me that while the sofrim present their nicest work at the start (and at the end) where the client actually looks at it at length, the rest is written more hastily, since they get paid for the Sefer, and not by the hour.
I decided that in lieu of writing a ST for my parents, I will pay a year's salary of a melamed or kindergarten teacher. I think that there's more "bang for the buck" in that as it has the potential for פירות ופירי פירות instilling Yiddishe chinuch to many young children who will then carry it on for generations. (I've also made my wishes clear to my family, that if a ST would be written for me, it will only be during my lifetime. If c"v we don't merit the גאולה האמיתית והשלימה sooner, I would rather a year's salary of a melamed be paid, than write a ST).