Pew State of the City 2025 Report: Poverty on the decline in Philly while job growth outpaces national average

Posted by WHYY on April 29, 2025

Over the past decade, the number of Philadelphians living in poverty has dropped by 6%. But racial disparities linger, according to the annual Pew Charitable Trusts report.

Poverty in Philadelphia continues to decline while violent crime, unemployment and education have improved, according to data crunched by The Pew Charitable Trusts for its 2025 State of the City report.

Overall, Pew researchers say the city’s economy is stronger than during the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, but that some disparities still remain.

“What we really found is that Philadelphia is emerging from the pandemic period,” said Katie Martin, project director for Pew’s Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative, about high crime, unemployment and economic uncertainty. “But there are some new challenges that the city is going to be facing in the years to come.”

Read more and access the report.


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