Philadelphia's population continues to decline, but the good news is that the rate may be leveling off.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new estimates showing that the number of people leaving the city is still high, but that the rate has gradually lessened and reached the lowest point in the last two decades.
The rate of population decrease for Philadelphia mirrors that of many other large cities in America, which continue to lose people to the suburbs.
The decline is "a trend that's been going on for a long time," Finance professor Robert Inman said, adding that "trends in the economy have been against the older industrial cities" for many years.
Philadelphia may be slowing its loss of population thanks to increasing beautification efforts, as well as immigrant households moving into the city, Inman said.
Philadelphia City Planning Commission Deputy Executive Director Richard Lombardo noted that the numbers are only estimates, and that the process is "a very simplistic measure" that is not as accurate as the actual census reports that occur every 10 years.
Center for Greater Philadelphia Director Ted Hershberg said the numbers could not be accurately assessed without knowing specifically who is leaving the city and who is arriving.
"It's very hard right now to see if the glass is half empty or half full," he said.
Eastern cities like Philadelphia often "lose population to the suburbs and to the South and the West," Inman said, but in the last few years, the city has made serious efforts to keep and attract residents.
While the numbers are a matter of concern, Lombardo said, "we know that there are areas of the city that have expanding growth," such as the North Delaware Riverfront and Schuylkill waterfront area.
There is still "a lot of potential" for many areas of the city, especially for those by the river that are attracting interest from developers, Lombardo said.
Hershberg noted that for "people who can afford Philadelphia, it offers a wonderful quality of life," but that adjacent to the flourishing neighborhoods around Center City, there are still "ongoing problems of AIDS and homelessness, and they're not going away."
City officials are hoping that the development proposals for the areas along the rivers will continue to stem the decline and entice suburban residents to move into the city. Mayor John Street has said that he would like Philadelphia to focus itself on the potential of riverfront property.
Inman said efforts like the river development proposal from Mayor Street could help retain population, but only if the city does "a good job on its basic agenda ... providing good public services and keeping taxes low" at the same time.
"It's even possible to expect a reversal in the trend," Lombardo said, adding that "it's really anybody's guess" because there are so many outlying factors of which the city has no control.
"We are doing what we can to make the city more attractive for residents and visitors," Lombardo said.
