City Demographics
Summary: Philadelphia’s population is declining and getting older. A sufficient number of new residents are not moving in to mitigate population loss. Those that are left have a greater need for city services.

Did you know the Greater Philadelphia region has not grown as rapidly as comparative metropolitan regions? (Philadelphia region 8% growth, Chicago region 17% growth, Baltimore region 21% growth, Phoenix region 74% growth) Other cities have supplemented their population with growth from immigration; Philadelphia has been less successful in this regard.

Population loss means that ultimately, the tax base is decreasing. At the same time, the City has an infrastructure that was built to serve a population of 2 million people, though it currently serves approximately 1.4 million people.

Educational Attainment
Summary: Philadelphia’s educational system is not producing a competitive workforce for a global economy. The City’s low high school graduation rates actually cost the City money.

Did you know that converting a Philadelphia dropout to a high school graduate would produce a potential gain of $580,000 over a working lifetime? Overwhelmingly, the City’s dropouts live in the areas of highest crime.

Public Safety
Summary: Philadelphia continues to make progress in reaching its goals of lowering violent crimes and homicides, particularly in the 9 targeted police districts. However, Philadelphia’s rate of gun related crime is high, leading to shootings and violent crimes. This leads to more people in a prison system which is currently over inmate capacity.

Philadelphia’s prison population has dramatically increased since 2004. The Prison System is built to hold around 8,405 people - whereas 9,841 people are currently in the system.

Did you know that the average daily prison population has increased 18.73% over the last five years?

City’s Primary Assets
Summary: Philadelphia has a series of competitive advantages that can be utilized to grow the city and leverage resources such as great amenities, thriving education and medical sectors and a solid transportation system.

Did you know Fairmount Park is largest urban park in U.S. with over 9,000 acres?

Dr. Camille Barnett (Chair) – Managing Director
Clarence Armbrister – Chief of Staff
Andrew Altman – Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
Rob Dubow – Finance Director
Steve Agostini – Budget Director
Alan Greenberger – Executive Director, City Planning Commission
Lori Shorr – Chief Education Officer
Patricia Giorgio-Fox – Deputy Commissioner, Philadelphia Police Department
James Dinubile – Deputy Warden, Philadelphia Prisons System

Steven Wray - Executive Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
David Elesh - Principal, Metropolitan Philadelphia Indicators Project
Charles Dougherty - Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Director, Division of Technical Services