Center City is the one place in this metropolitan area where accessible opportunity exists for everyone.
Center City District (CCD) and the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) released State of Center City 2026, CCD’s signature annual research report distilling the most recent data available from city, state, and federal agencies; local organizations and businesses; and CCD’s own surveys, pedestrian counts, and analysis.
The 112-page report arrives at a moment of remarkable momentum for Philadelphia. Last year the city recorded its fewest homicides since 1966 and its most jobs since 1980. Both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times named Philadelphia the #1 must-visit destination in 2026, the year the city steps onto the world stage with America’s 250th birthday, the FIFA World Cup, and the MLB All-Star Game. Virtually every one of those visitors will sleep, walk, and eat in Center City.
“Center City is on very strong footing, built over three decades of intentional investment by public agencies, private developers, cultural institutions, and Center City District,” noted CCD President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta. “These achievements should not be taken as evidence that the work is finished. Rather, we should seek to supercharge our city and region’s economic heart to accelerate growth across Philadelphia. Let’s proceed, full speed ahead, and lift all ships.”
Key Takeaways:
- Greater Center City now supports 309,000 jobs — 42% of all employment in Philadelphia
- Office market leasing activity reached a six-year high in 2025, with deal volume up 10% from the prior year.
- Philadelphia’s cultural institutions — second in concentration only to New York City — are drawing record attendance.
- The Pennsylvania Convention Center hosted 906,542 attendees in 2025 and is projected to exceed 1 million visitors in 2026.
- Greater Center City is home to 210,710 residents — one in eight Philadelphians —the country’s third-largest residential downtown.
- Retail occupancy reached 84% — a seven-year high — as major national and international brands joined an already-strong lineup.
- SEPTA systemwide ridership grew 12% year-over-year despite several significant disruptions in 2025.
Read the full report for more research and analysis, as well as three unresolved policy issues identified that are critical to Center City’s continued health — and by extension, to the entire region.
