Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative

In the wake of the events of 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing demands for racial justice, Pew decided to re-examine its citywide polling results with an emphasis on documenting and analyzing the attitudes of Black Philadelphians, who make up 40% of the city’s population

In so many ways, 2020 was a troubling year for Philadelphia, one that raised profound questions about its future. The numbers tell the story of a city facing tremendous challenges, not just from the pandemic and its economic impact but from rising drug overdose deaths and gun violence as well.

In recent years, economists and policymakers have paid considerable attention to so-called middle-wage jobs— positions thought to produce a livable income and, in many cases, be available to people without bachelor’s degrees.

Housing prices and rents in Philadelphia have long been lower than in many other big cities. But over the past decade, as Philadelphia has shifted from a shrinking city to a growing one with an increased demand for housing, officials and advocates have expressed mounting concern about the degree to which the city remains affordable—and for whom. To assess the situation, The Pew Charitable Trusts conducted a detailed examination of housing data from Philadelphia and put the findings in the context of other large cities throughout the country, both the 10 largest high-poverty cities and the 10 most populous.