There’s been a lot of talk about Philly’s rise in recent years, from its increasing millennial population to its building boom. But there’s one title the city can’t shake: Philadelphia remains the poorest large city in the U.S.
That’s according to the latest 2016 data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, compiled from the annual American Community Survey. Of the 1.5 million people living in Philly, 25.7 percent live below the poverty line. That’s a minuscule decrease from 2015’s 25.8 percent.
The nation’s overall poverty rate is 14 percent, which is a drop from 2015. In Pennsylvania, 12.9 percent of its population live in poverty.
The Inquirer’s report sought out answers from local experts to determine why Philly’s poverty rate has remained so high over the years. One person cited job growth. While a separate report in May found that Philly’s job growth rate was outpacing other major U.S. cities like New York, overall the city’s rate has lagged behind the U.S. as a whole in recent years.
There is one area in Philly where poverty rates are declining: Center City. A report from January found that this area has seen a 12.1 percent decline in its poverty rate from 1970 to 2015. It’s everywhere else in the city that needs help.
And Newsworks points out that if it’s any consolation, Philly’s poverty rate has declined since its 2011 high of 28.4 percent.
Here’s how Philly’s poverty rate compares to the other nine largest cities in the U.S., listed here alphabetically.
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