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With Philadelphia showing a population of 1,526,006 and Phoenix, AZ showing a population of 1,445,632, Philly has regained its place as the 5th largest city in the Country. After all that talk coming out of Phoenix saying that it had overtaken Philly in population back in 2006 based off of estimates but the census showed that wasn't the case. Philadelphians should be proud that there city is growing and just reclaimed it spot as one of the top 5 largest cities. I would say that's good news for the city of Philadelphia after 60 years of population decline its good to see the city heading in the right direction.
The Philly MSA will also bypass the (artificially fragmented) Bay Area CSA in a few years, if the current trend continues. That's remarkable, given the Bay Area passed Philly in this regard during the early 90s.
The Philly MSA will also bypass the (artificially fragmented) Bay Area CSA in a few years, if the current trend continues. That's remarkable, given the Bay Area passed Philly in this regard during the early 90s.
for years regional growth was offset by city population loss (+300k-150k)...but with the city not shrinking, regional growth is greater (+300k+8k). fwiw, the philadelphia csa is capped by ny...I believe one of the counties was moved (mercer?) not because it was in ny's orbit vs Philly, but because state workers would receive a raise if it were in ny's csa.
for years regional growth was offset by city population loss (+300k-150k)...but with the city not shrinking, regional growth is greater (+300k+8k). fwiw, the philadelphia csa is capped by ny...I believe one of the counties was moved (mercer?) not because it was in ny's orbit vs Philly, but because state workers would receive a raise if it were in ny's csa.
In addition, Delaware County and Chester County are marketing themselves to retirees fleeing places like NYC, CHX, LA, SF, etc. For those cashing out from such overpriced places, the math works really well.
In addition, Delaware County and Chester County are marketing themselves to retirees fleeing places like NYC, CHX, LA, SF, etc. For those cashing out from such overpriced places, the math works really well.
Delaware County's a big place that's as diverse in terms of the type of areas within it as the city is. The outer reaches might be advertising to those types but Central Delco and the inner-ring are being more sought after by young professionals and families than by any other group. The easy access to public transportation to Philadelphia and other parts seems to be a major part of the appeal, among other things.
What's happening too is the opportunities and draws within those parts of Delco are bringing people in who want to live within easy access to those things. College students, grad students, professors, various professionals, families, etc, and yes even retirees from more expensive cities and people who want to settle down. It's a healthy mix of various factors that are definitely a good thing for the area.
Delaware County's a big place that's as diverse in terms of the type of areas within it as the city is. The outer reaches might be advertising to those types but Central Delco and the inner-ring are being more sought after by young professionals and families than by any other group. The easy access to public transportation to Philadelphia and other parts seems to be a major part of the appeal, among other things.
What's happening too is the opportunities and draws within those parts of Delco are bringing people in who want to live within easy access to those things. College students, grad students, professors, various professionals, families, etc, and yes even retirees from more expensive cities and people who want to settle down. It's a healthy mix of various factors that are definitely a good thing for the area.
I think of the professionals as moving out to central/outer Delco, if they can afford it. The inner ring is largely deteriorating and getting poorer in lower Delco. Places like Darby, Upper Darby, and Yeadon are a lot rougher than they used to be.
I think of the professionals as moving out to central/outer Delco, if they can afford it. The inner ring is largely deteriorating and getting poorer in lower Delco. Places like Darby, Upper Darby, and Yeadon are a lot rougher than they used to be.
Considering that's my area, I know exactly what's going on there. Something you may not know though is that those things have always been there. They were just in the background before. I grew up in one of the nicer working class parts of UD township and there were a few drug houses in the neighborhood even then. These places used to be bad before, went through cycles and came back up again. All of the inner-ring was mostly places where immigrants worked and then built communities around, with a few exceptions such as Lansdowne. Even in certain areas, 3-400,000 dollar homes are being bought, including in Clifton, Marcus Hook, Trainer, Chester, etc. Ridley has always been solid, or at least for as long as I've been alive. Westbrook Park in Clifton Heights is an extremely nice area for a working class area, and some of the rowhomes there are amazing. The things people do with them are definitely impressive. Westbrook Park is a solid school too. There are great Catholic schools in certain parts still too, like Holy Cross, which kids in Clifton go to.
But those are not the only places in the inner-ring. Ridley Park is being moved to, as well as some other places with good proximity to Philadelphia and other parts and with good schools. Lansdowne, as I mentioned, is another place young professionals are moving to. The inner-ring is a very diverse place. There are parts of it with not so great schools, which is where the majority of the spillover is going to, and there are parts with good to great schools, which is where most of the people moving to the inner-ring are going to. Lansdowne is being moved to because it's got great access to Philadelphia and elsewhere, has a nice little downtown with a few things, and is a great community. It just happens to be in a very bad school district and is bordered by some rougher places. You take Lansdowne out of that area though and put it next to Ridley or somewhere else and it'd be much nicer than even Morton is. I'm not sure what Ardmore Ave. Elementary is like but if good people are moving to the area then maybe it's becoming a better school, or maybe it was already a good one. Certain factors contribute to why people move to certain areas. Westbrook Park is the perfect example of a place that has a good elementary school and where kids can get solid educations as they go to middle and high school. It will probably continue to be a great area, just with certain elements coming into the area.
Outer Delco is more for a certain type looking for a certain thing. It's like Pioneersville out there, everything starting from scratch for the most part. I know people who moved out there. It's a whole other world.
You have to remember that people moving to the area don't see it the same as you and I or anybody else who grew up around here does. There are plenty of people who are willing to take a chance on a place like Westbrook Park or even Lansdowne. As long as they understand that they are basically moving into a part of the city, they do fine. The schools in Upper Darby are good enough that kids moving there have a real chance at a much better life. Considering the people with money who live in parts of the district, that wouldn't be something you would think is going to change. It doesn't have to become a hell-hole anywhere outside of the places that are a part of the worst school districts. There will be problems and crime, of course, but I don't think there will be like there are in parts of Philly.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say (what I probably should have just said) is that you can't paint an entire area with the same brush. The worst areas have mostly had problems for decades now. Places in the SE Delco school district were always a bit rougher than places in the Upper Darby school district, as were places in the William-Penn or Chester-Upland districts. Beverly Hills Middle School and that whole section was always rougher than Drexel Hill and Clifton Heights and those sections. Folcroft was always rougher than Ridley. Get what I'm saying? Remember, people read what we say here. We don't want to give misinformation or make an area out to be something it's not. It's important we don't make blanket statements like that.
[quote=couldntthinkofaclevername;22110255]Considering that's my area, I know exactly what's going on there. Something you may not know though is that those things have always been there. They were just in the background before. I grew up in one of the nicer working class parts of UD township and there were a few drug houses in the neighborhood even then. These places used to be bad before, went through cycles and came back up again. All of the inner-ring was mostly places where immigrants worked and then built communities around, with a few exceptions such as Lansdowne. Even in certain areas, 3-400,000 dollar homes are being bought, including in Clifton, Marcus Hook, Trainer, Chester, etc. Ridley has always been solid, or at least for as long as I've been alive. Westbrook Park in Clifton Heights is an extremely nice area for a working class area, and some of the rowhomes there are amazing. The things people do with them are definitely impressive. Westbrook Park is a solid school too. There are great Catholic schools in certain parts still too, like Holy Cross, which kids in Clifton go to.
But those are not the Something you may not know though is that those things have always been there. They were just in the background before. I grew up in one of the nicer working class parts of UD township and there were a few drug houses in the neighborhood even then. These places used to be bad before, went through cycles and came back up again. All of the inner-ring was mostly places where immigrants worked and then built communities around, with a few exceptions such as Lansdowne. Even in certain areas, 3-400,000 dollar homes are being bought, including in Clifton, Marcus Hook, Trainer, Chester, etc. Ridley has always been solid, or at least for as long as I've been alive. Westbrook Park in Clifton Heights is an extremely nice area for a working class area, and some of the rowhomes there are amazing. The things people do with them are definitely impressive. Westbrook Park is a solid school too. There are great Catholic schools in certain parts still too, like Holy Cross, which kids in Clifton go to.
But those are not the only places in the inner-ring. Ridley Park is being moved to, as well as some other places with good proximity to Philadelphia and other parts and with good schools. Lansdowne, as I mentioned, is another place young professionals are moving to. The inner-ring is a very diverse place. There are parts of it with not so great schools, which is where the majority of the spillover is going to, and there are parts with good to great schools, which is where most of the people moving to the inner-ring are going to. Lansdowne is being moved to because it's got great access to Philadelphia and elsewhere, has a nice little downtown with a few things, and is a great community. It just happens to be in a very bad school district and is bordered by some rougher places. You take Lansdowne out of that area though and put it next to Ridley or somewhere else and it'd be much nicer than even Morton is. I'm not sure what Ardmore Ave. Elementary is like but if good people are moving to the area then maybe it's becoming a better school, or maybe it was already a good one. Certain factors contribute to why people move to certain areas. Westbrook Park is the perfect example of a place that has a good elementary school and where kids can get solid educations as they go to middle and high school. It will probably continue to be a great area, just with certain elements coming into the area.
Outer Delco is more for a certain type looking for a certain thing. It's like Pioneersville out there, everything starting from scratch for the most part. I know people who moved out there. It's a whole other world.
You have to remember that people moving to the area don't see it the same as you and I or anybody else who grew up around here does. There are plenty of people who are willing to take a chance on a place like Westbrook Park or even Lansdowne. As long as they understand that they are basically moving into a part of the city, they do fine. The schools in Upper Darby are good enough that kids moving there have a real chance at a much better life. Considering the people with money who live in parts of the district, that wouldn't be something you would think is going to change. It doesn't have to become a hell-hole anywhere outside of the places that are a part of the worst school districts. There will be problems and crime, of course, but I don't think there will be like there are in parts of Philly.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say (what I probably should have just said) is that you can't paint an entire area with the same brush. The worst areas have mostly had problems for decades now. Places in the SE Delco school district were
Oh, don't even get me started on Houston, with its 600+ square miles...
It doesnt really bother me at all that Houston is #4. It really is a massive urban city even if most of it is suburban. LA is too. Besides, they overtook us back in 1987, just a few years after LA overtook Chicago.
What bothers the hell out of me is Now Philly is losing its rightful spot at #5, and to Phoenix of all nonsensical places. And Chicago will stay #3 for decades at the rate Houston is growing. And not only that, but now San Antonio is scheduled to drop Philly to #7! in just the next few years, less than 10 years after we lost #5.
Philly has never been #7 before. What's different about Philadelphia from any city formed since we became a country, is we didn't work our way up. We started from the top, and now we are falling down. Philly has also been it's current size longer than any other city. Every other city has annexed land since 1854. As a matter of fact, MOST cities annexed MOST of their land AFTER 1900. Phoenix actually annexed over 95% of its land since 1950.
It's an unpopular opinion because it's not even a thought in most peoples minds, but Philly should annex some land for the first time in 165 years and get back to #5.
It doesnt really bother me at all that Houston is #4. It really is a massive urban city even if most of it is suburban. LA is too. Besides, they overtook us back in 1987, just a few years after LA overtook Chicago.
What bothers the hell out of me is Now Philly is losing its rightful spot at #5, and to Phoenix of all nonsensical places. And Chicago will stay #3 for decades at the rate Houston is growing. And not only that, but now San Antonio is scheduled to drop Philly to #7! in just the next few years, less than 10 years after we lost #5.
Philly has never been #7 before. What's different about Philadelphia from any city formed since we became a country, is we didn't work our way up. We started from the top, and now we are falling down. Philly has also been it's current size longer than any other city. Every other city has annexed land since 1854. As a matter of fact, MOST cities annexed MOST of their land AFTER 1900. Phoenix actually annexed over 95% of its land since 1950.
It's an unpopular opinion because it's not even a thought in most peoples minds, but Philly should annex some land for the first time in 165 years and get back to #5.
Both Pennsylvania and Philadelphia (along with New York State and City) are the only two states and cities that have remained at the top of the census data since it began in 1790, very impressive.
I don't get caught up on the population stats...
Philadelphia has 1.6M people in 142 sq miles.
Phoenix has about 1.6M people in 517 sq miles.
San Antonio has about 1.5M people in 465 sq miles.
If you were to expand Philadelphia boundaries to 500 sq miles, it would add another 1-2 million people, depending on the direction. Most people usually overlook stats like sq mileage, but whatever.
BUT, I don't think Philadelphia should annex land, the city has enough problems, and the suburbs would suffer (particularly Montgomery County) if they were to combine with the city.
I think the Philadelphia region is a compact yet extremely powerful area, probably the most underrated or afterthought major metro when it comes to thinking of population and power. (when I say major, I'm talking of the biggest cities and metros, not mid sized ones).
Philadelphia is right up there with all the big players and its literally half the size in land area compared to some.
If I could change one thing it would be to make Delaware a part of Pennsylvania. It would add 1 million people to the state, and Delaware packs a mighty economic punch for a tiny state, and PA would officially have a coastline.
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