Economic Insights — The focus on poverty within the city of Philadelphia misses the bigger picture. To really understand poverty, we need to analyze it at the regional level.
Poverty in the Philadelphia region is consistently lower than in the nation. This positive outcome is routinely overshadowed by a high poverty rate in the city of Philadelphia. However, most Pennsylvania cities have a greater concentration of the region's poor than other comparable cities. This article explains the relationship between the region's economy and its poverty rate and the crucial role of the state government.
This article appeared in the Fourth Quarter 2021 issue of Economic Insights. Download and read the full issue.
