Population 24,566 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Philadelphia
Household size in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in South Philadelphia run small, averaging 2.48 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.60 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.5 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.7 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of South Philadelphia is 37.7 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in South Philadelphia as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in South Philadelphia
Renters in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.3% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in South Philadelphia is just as common as it is nationally: 34.8% of households rent. Among homeowners, 34.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. South Philadelphia has a lower share of renters than at least four in five Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in South Philadelphia is close to the national rate: 9.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Philadelphia area as a whole (6.9%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1941 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
South Philadelphia is a place of older homes: half were built before 1941, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. South Philadelphia has older homes than at least four in five Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $784 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,004 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,177 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,613 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$828 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in South Philadelphia runs $1,613 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $828 a month since 2006–10, up 106%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in South Philadelphia
Bachelor's degrees in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +21.6 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in South Philadelphia (37.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Philadelphia area overall (42.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 21.6 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.5% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 71.0% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.2% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.5% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in South Philadelphia never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 13.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. South Philadelphia has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Philadelphia neighborhoods.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in South Philadelphia
| Period | South Philadelphia | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in South Philadelphia: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.9 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
South Philadelphia compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Philadelphia | 2.48 | 37.7 | 11.2% | 34.8% | 9.3% | 1941 | $1,613 | 37.4% | 81.5% | 7.4% |
| Girard Estates | 2.35 | 39.7 | 10.1% | 35.7% | 11.0% | 1944 | $1,608 | 38.9% | 91.7% | 6.4% |
| Pennsport-Whitman-Queen | 2.22 | 37.9 | 12.3% | 35.4% | 8.5% | 1944 | $1,666 | 53.2% | 88.6% | 6.5% |
| Wharton-Hawthorne-Bella Vista | 2.12 | 36.7 | 8.7% | 44.4% | 7.2% | 1942 | $1,757 | 59.8% | 89.9% | 5.2% |
| Point Breeze-Philadelphia | 2.24 | 36.1 | 14.2% | 39.4% | 12.9% | 1941 | $1,685 | 49.6% | 89.2% | 6.7% |
| Marconi Plaza-Packer Park | 2.28 | 44.3 | 14.8% | 37.4% | 10.6% | 1962 | $2,371 | 38.8% | 94.4% | 4.9% |
| Bella Vista | 1.94 | 34.3 | 8.1% | 56.2% | 8.2% | 1960 | $1,745 | 78.3% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| Schuylkill Southwest | 2.02 | 32.1 | 5.4% | 50.2% | 13.6% | 1966 | $2,164 | 77.3% | 96.3% | 4.7% |
| Grays Ferry | 2.44 | 33.1 | 20.8% | 60.4% | 16.2% | 1953 | $1,218 | 28.8% | 81.7% | 9.7% |
| City Center East | 1.50 | 38.9 | 7.4% | 67.6% | 11.7% | 1961 | $1,935 | 80.7% | 95.8% | 3.3% |
| Rittenhouse Square | 1.50 | 41.5 | 1.7% | 68.4% | 15.7% | 1955 | $2,063 | 85.0% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Roxborough, Philadelphia, PA · North Central Dallas, Carrollton, TX · Hazelwood-Mill Park, Portland, OR · Academy Gardens, Philadelphia, PA · Highline, Seattle, WA · Howard Beach, Queens, NY · Indian River, Chesapeake, VA · Kyle Canyon, Las Vegas, NV · Logan-Ogontz-Fern Rock, Philadelphia, PA · Mxcully-Moiliili, Honolulu, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up South Philadelphia. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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