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Philadelphia: Demographics & People

Philadelphia is home to 1,579,706 people, in 679,428 households. Population shrank 0.2% from 1,582,432 (2022) to 1,579,706 (2024). Median age 35.3 years. (1.5y younger than Pennsylvania). Children under 18 are 21% of the population. Population is 38% Black and 33% White (non-Hispanic). 51% of households are family-led. County is losing 54,704 residents per year (2022-2023). County health: 34% adult obesity, 19% smoke.

Population & Trend

Population shrank 0.2% from 1,582,432 (2022) to 1,579,706 (2024). Estimated 2026 population: ~1,577,021 (extrapolated at -0.1%/yr trend).

Census data vintage2024
Population1,603,797 people
Annual growth rate · Population change-0.2%
Annual growth rate · Population (2022)1,582,432
Annual growth rate · Population (2024)1,579,706
Annual growth rate · Trend categorystable
Population1,579,706 people (vs Pennsylvania 12,317) population: 5 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-29
Population Estimate1,573,482

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023, Table B01003  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Age Distribution

Median age 35.3y is 3.6 years younger than the U.S. median (38.9y). Children under 18 make up 21% — near the U.S. share of ~22%.

Age Summary · Median age35.3 years (vs Pennsylvania 36.8y)
Age Summary · Children Pct21.2%
Age Summary · Characterfamily-oriented
Age Summary · Total Pop1,579,706
Age Summary · Under 18334,799
Age Summary · 18 To 34448,275.0×
Age Summary · 35 To 64564,514.0×
Age Summary · 65 Plus232,118
Population under 18334,799
Median age35.3 years (vs Pennsylvania 36.8y)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2024 — place-level B01001 query · Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-29

Race, Ethnicity & Diversity

Of 1,579,706 residents, race / ethnicity breaks down by Census ACS counts (a person can identify with one or more groups).

White residents571,785
Black residents631,361
Asian residents122,949
Hispanic or Latino residents240,543
Diversity Index · Simpson Index68.0%
Diversity Index · Interpretationhighly diverse
Asian population7.9% (vs Pennsylvania 2.5%)
Black population38.3% (vs Pennsylvania 7.7%)
Hispanic or Latino population15.6% (vs Pennsylvania 8.1%)
White (non-Hispanic) population33.2% (vs Pennsylvania 71.2%)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Ancestry

Self-reported ancestry from Census ACS — what residents report as their ethnic origin, separate from race. Counts can exceed population because people can list multiple ancestries.

Top (8)

(unnamed)
Black
(unnamed)
Hispanic Total
(unnamed)
Irish
(unnamed)
Asian
(unnamed)
German
(unnamed)
Italian
(unnamed)
English
(unnamed)
Polish

Citizenship & Origin

Where residents were born and their citizenship status (Census ACS). 3.5% are foreign-born — below the U.S. average of 13.9%. 15% have naturalized to U.S. citizenship.

Residents born in this state990,986
Residents born in another state293,155
Share born in this state62.7%
Share born in another state37.3%
Native-born U.S. citizens18.6%
Foreign-born residents3.5%
Naturalized citizens15.2%
Total foreign-born residents232,805
From Europe33,811
From Asia375
From Africa88,719
From Latin America2,711
Census Foreign Born · Caribbean553
Census Foreign Born · Central America133
Census Foreign Born · South America238

Households & Family Composition

679,428 households. Averaging 2.3 people each — smaller than the U.S. average of 2.5. 51% are family households — below the U.S. share of ~65%. Of 352,069 families, 20% are married couples with children.

Children under 18338,722
Total families352,069
Married couples with children69,489
Single-parent households14,330
Average household size2.29
Women who gave birth (past year)10.3%
Grandparents living with grandchildren42,622
Grandparents responsible for grandchildren16,375
Family households349,287 households (vs Pennsylvania 2,885)
Households that are families51.4% (vs Pennsylvania 55.6%)
Total households679,428 households (vs Pennsylvania 5,038) total_households: 4 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-29

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Residential Stability & Migration

How long residents have lived here and where they came from. 13.5% moved within the county in the past year — the U.S. baseline is roughly 8–10%. The surrounding county is losing 54,704 residents per year on net (IRS migration data).

Moved within the county (past year)13.5%
Migration · People moving in (annual)1,136,306
Migration · People moving out (annual)1,191,010
Migration · Net migration (in − out)-54,704

Sources: IRS SOI Migration 2021-2022  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Disability

Census ACS measures self-reported functional limitations — vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, self-care, or independent-living. The U.S. baseline disability rate is about 12–13%; rates trend higher with median age.

Residents with a disability118,621
Disability rate7.5%

Group Quarters

Group quarters are non-household living arrangements counted by the Census — college dormitories, nursing homes, military barracks, group homes, correctional facilities, and similar institutional or shared housing. 47,538 residents live in group quarters (3.0% of population).

Living in group quarters47,538

Veterans

Veterans Services · Total count1

Sources: IRS BMF keyword

Other

Congressional District · District2
Congressional District · Congress118th
Cdc Birth Rate · Fips42101
Cdc Birth Rate · State Fips42
Cdc Birth Rate · County Fips101
Cdc Birth Rate · CountyPhiladelphia
Cdc Birth Rate · Birth Rate23.4%
Cdc Birth Rate · Lower Ci22.70
Cdc Birth Rate · Upper Ci24.20
Cdc Mortality · Fips42101
Cdc Mortality · CountyPhiladelphia County
Cdc Mortality · Urban RuralLarge central metro
Cdc Mortality · Total Deaths 2020 202359,893
Cdc Vaccination · Fips42101
Cdc Vaccination · CountyPhiladelphia County
Cdc Vaccination · Dose1 Pop Pct95.0%
Cdc Vaccination · Series Complete Pct76.5%
Cdc Vaccination · Booster Pct36.9%
Cdc Vaccination · Population 20191,584,064
Cdc Vaccination · Metro StatusMetro
Family Score · Score10
Family Score · Schools307
Family Score · Childcare Centers634
Family Score · Youth Sports Orgs7
Family Score · Children Pct21.2%
Family Score · Ratingexcellent
Town Summary · Key Factspopulation 1,579,706, stable, family-oriented, middle-class, mixed
Town Summary · Population1,579,706 people (vs Pennsylvania 12,317)
Town Summary · CountyPhiladelphia County

Sources: NCES school congressional district assignment · federal dataset cascade