DAILY DOSE: Pew's State of the City: reasons for optimism in Philadelphia

Posted 3/30/15

From Pew's State of the City report: Philadelphia population trends. Today, The Pew Charitible Trusts released a new State of the City report that revealed a lot of positive trends in the city. Here …

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DAILY DOSE: Pew's State of the City: reasons for optimism in Philadelphia

Posted

From Pew's State of the City report: Philadelphia population trends. From Pew's State of the City report: Philadelphia population trends.

Today, The Pew Charitible Trusts released a new State of the City report that revealed a lot of positive trends in the city.

Here were the big takeaways from the report according to Pew:

  • Philadelphia’s population increased in 2014 for the eighth straight year. That boom is being fueled by Millenials who say they want to stay in the city long term.
  • The city added 8,800 jobs for a growth rate of 1.3 percent.
  • The poverty rate fell to 26.3 percent in 2013 from 28.4 percent in 2011. (though the city remains among the 10 most poor big cities in the country).
  • Major crimes in 2014 fell to fewer than 70,000 for the first time in 30 years. The homicide rate remains at a 45-year low.
  • Housing permits continued to climb with 3,973 permits issues with a construction value of $879 million.
  • The number of adults in the city with at least a bachelor’s agree climbed to 25 percent.

“There’s good reason to be optimistic about Philadelphia in 2015,” said Larry Eichel, director of Pew’s Philadelphia research initiative. “The growing young adult and immigrant populations, residential building boom, and declining unemployment and major crime rates are all positive signs for the city. But our findings indicate that progress on the economy, pensions, schools, and public safety will be essential to keep Philadelphia moving forward.”

The one bit of "bad news" is the continued decline in city test scores. Those scores have been falling in the district since reaching a high point in 2011. The only counter to that number is the gradual growth in high school graduation rates.

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