New Philadelphia Leadership Faces Challenges from Persistent Opioid Epidemic Issues
Philadelphia’s Economic Gains Overshadowed by Ongoing Opioid Epidemic
According to the article of Whhy PBS Org, Philadelphia is seeing real improvements in its poverty and violent crime rates, but the opioid epidemic is still a big problem for residents. This year is a “year of transition” with a new mayor, new City Council members, and new leaders at major city institutions. However, the Pew Charitable Trusts report finds that persistent problems still threaten to undermine progress.
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(PHOTO: www.visitphilly.com)
Philadelphia’s New Leadership Faces Opioid Epidemic Challenges
Pew‘s annual “State of the City” report, released Thursday morning, highlights both progress and ongoing issues in Philadelphia. The report notes that Philadelphia’s economy started the year in good shape by historical standards. In 2023, the city’s unemployment rate averaged 4.2%, the lowest in over 30 years. The number of jobs in the city, an average of 765,400, was the highest in 40 years.
Philadelphia’s Economic Growth Reaches Historic Highs
For the first time in 16 years since Pew released the annual metrics, Philadelphia’s median household income of $56,517 surpassed Baltimore’s. However, this is still much lower than the national average of $74,755. Despite these gains, economic growth was not fair for everyone. White, non-Hispanic households earned $40,000 more per year on average than Black and Hispanic households.
Income Inequality Persists in Philadelphia Despite Economic Gains
The “State of the City Report” looks at Philadelphia alone and also compares it to nine similar cities: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia has long been known as America’s poorest big city. In 2022, the city’s poverty rate was 21.7%, the lowest since the 1990s.
Philadelphia’s Poverty Rate Drops to Lowest Since the 1990s
Philadelphia’s deep poverty rate also dropped to single digits. Pew’s analysis found that poverty rates vary a lot between different demographic groups. For example, almost 29% of children under 18 live in poverty. While Philadelphia has made progress in reducing poverty, the opioid epidemic remains a major issue.
Child Poverty Rates High Amid Philadelphia’s Opioid Epidemic
In 2023, the city had an estimated 1,300 unintentional drug overdose deaths, the seventh straight year with over 1,100 deaths. Among the nine cities Pew compares in its reports, Philadelphia had the highest rate of drug overdose deaths: 78.9 for every 100,000 residents.
Philadelphia Leads in Drug Overdose Deaths Among Major U.S. Cities
If these numbers are confirmed, 2023 would have the second-highest overdose death total for Philadelphia on record. Official numbers from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health are expected in May. Public safety has been a top budget concern in Philadelphia. The city has made progress in lowering its violent crime rates, which are the lowest in a decade, according to Pew.
Philadelphia Awaits Confirmation of Record Overdose Deaths
Philadelphia’s homicide rate dropped six percentage points in 2023, following a trend seen in similar cities. In 2022, the Philadelphia Police Department reported 514 homicides. In 2023, the number dropped to 410, a 20% decline but still higher than pre-pandemic years. Unlike violent crime, property crimes like car and retail thefts went up a lot in 2023. The total number of major crimes, which includes violent and property crimes, reached a 20-year high, Pew reported.
Property Crimes Surge in Philadelphia Amid Decline in Homicides
Philadelphia is now the most college-educated it has ever been, a trend that continued from last year. However, the city’s population is still shrinking. The number of uninsured city residents continues to drop. Pew says the city’s government has “relatively strong” financial health, but the future of SEPTA and the School District of Philadelphia is less hopeful.
New Philadelphia Leaders Urged to Address Deep-Seated Problems
The end of federal relief aid has made existing problems for these institutions worse, according to Pew.“In this year of transition, the challenge is clear for Philadelphia and its new leaders: They must nurture and strengthen the positive trends while making progress on a set of deep-seated problems that can sometimes seem intractable,” Pew wrote. “That mission won’t be easy. But its success is essential for the future of the city and its people.”
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