Annual State of Center City 2019 Report

Posted by Central Philadelphia Development Corporation on June 3, 2019

Today at the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation’s quarterly meeting, Center City District (CCD) released its annual State of Center City 2019, a data-driven compendium, organized by employment sector, that examines the latest trends in both in Center City and in the broader Philadelphia economy.

Located at the center of the region’s transit and highway network, 48% of downtown jobs are held by commuters from outside the city who pay the city wage tax and also patronize downtown restaurants, retailers and cultural institutions. But 52%, more than 160,000 jobs, are held by Philadelphia residents, with two-thirds of those jobs requiring less than a college degree. Because of downtown’s transit accessibility, 25% of the working residents of every neighborhood outside Center City, are able work downtown.

Distilling a wealth of up-to-the-minute data from city, state, and national agencies; local organizations and businesses; and CCD’s own in-depth research and analysis, this 72-page report not only provides a wealth of information about marketplace trends, it also makes policy recommendations for how local leaders can facilitate more expansive and inclusive growth in Philadelphia.

At the core of the State of Center City 2019 report is a call for placing greater priority on job growth citywide since it provides the foundation to address so many of Philadelphia’s lingering problems. A strategy for growth starts with reforming Philadelphia’s outdated tax policy, so we retain more residents, workers and businesses as their incomes and revenues rise.

To learn more about State of Center City 2019, visit our website.

Download the Full Report.

Download Paul R. Levy’s presentation with specific policy recommendations, State of Center City Presentation.

For a full selection of Center City Reports, visit Research & Reports.