Philadelphia’s talent pool growth outpaces nearly all peer cities; office-sector employers are not keeping pace

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JoAnn Loviglio, 215.440.5546, jloviglio@centercityphila.org

PHILADELPHIA (October 22, 2026) — Philadelphia is adding college-educated residents at a rate nearly unmatched among the nation’s largest counties, but the downtown employers who hire them have not kept pace, according to findings in a new Center City District (CCD) Insights report brief released today.

The number of Philadelphians aged 25 to 44 with a bachelor’s degree or higher grew by a remarkable 62% from 2014 to 2024, from about 148,000 to nearly 241,000. That ranks second among the 25 largest U.S. counties, behind only Austin, and well ahead of the peer average of roughly 40%. The fastest growth occurred among residents aged 35 to 44, whose ranks grew by 87%, or nearly 41,000 people. These numbers indicate that young professionals arrived in Philadelphia and proceeded to put down roots as their careers advanced.

The city’s job base is expanding, too. From 2024 to 2025, Philadelphia’s private-sector employment grew 1.5%, second only to Austin, while 12 of the 25 peer counties lost jobs. Philadelphia added more than 9,400 private-sector jobs in 2025, over three times as many as Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties combined. That brought the total to 619,248, the highest level in 17 years.

The gap lies in the office sector. Health care and social assistance jobs gains since 2019 totaled 33,540, more than the city’s entire net jobs gain of 23,636. Office-sector employment, which includes finance, information, real estate, professional services and corporate headquarters, totaled 118,795 in 2025, virtually unchanged from 2019. Still, the city has held its ground better than its suburbs. The five-county region has lost about 17,500 office jobs since 2019, all of them outside Philadelphia, lifting the city’s share of regional office jobs to 33%, the highest in decades.

Center City’s talent pool extends well beyond the city limits. More than 716,000 residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher live within one mile of a SEPTA or PATCO rail station, up 40% from a decade ago, putting more skilled workers within easy reach of Center City than any suburban office park can match.

Some employers are already taking notice: JPMorgan Chase is expanding at 2400 Market Street, Bonduelle Americas has opened its Growth Hub in the same building, and Burlington is relocating its headquarters from New Jersey to Schuylkill Yards.

To turn Philadelphia’s talent advantage into downtown jobs, the report calls on stakeholders including brokers, economic development partners and local officials to market the region’s workforce to prospective tenants, strengthen the pipeline of new graduates, invest in the office district experience, secure sustained funding for SEPTA, and grow housing along high-frequency transit routes.

“Philadelphia is a magnet for talent because of the great quality of life on offer,” Center City District President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta said. “Now we need the employers to match. Continued investment in SEPTA and our downtown can make Center City the first choice for companies looking to grow.”

For more details, visit the Philadelphia Employment: Booming Talent, Lagging Jobs Insights page.

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Center City District, partner to property owners and downtown stakeholders, is the steward and advocate for a clean, safe and thriving Center City Philadelphia. Find us at www.centercityphila.org.