Philadelphia metropolitan area Delaware Valley Greater Philadelphia Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA/CSA | ||
|---|---|---|
Center City Philadelphia (in background) and theSchuylkill River (on left) as seen fromSouth Street Bridge in July 2016 | ||
![]() Philadelphia–Reading–Camden, PA–NJ–DE–MDCSA
| ||
| Country | ||
| States | ||
| Principal city | ||
| Satellite cities and towns | ||
| Area | ||
| • Urban | 1,981.4 sq mi (5,131.7 km2) | |
| • Metro | 5,118 sq mi (13,256 km2) | |
| Elevation | 0–1,079 ft (0–329 m) | |
| Population (2021 est.) | ||
| • Urban | 5,441,567 (5th) | |
| • Metro density | 1,217/sq mi (470/km2) | |
| • MSA | 6,330,422 (9th) | |
| • CSA | 7,490,896 (9th) | |
| MSA/CSA = 2024, Urban = 2010 | ||
| GDP | ||
| • MSA | $518.5 billion (2022) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Area codes | 215/267/445,302,410/443/667,609/640,610/484/835,717/223,856 | |
ThePhiladelphia metropolitan area, also referred to as theDelaware Valley orGreater Philadelphia, is a majormetropolitan area in theNortheastern United States that centers onPhiladelphia, thesixth-most populous city in theUnited States. This area spans up to four states: southeasternPennsylvania,southern New Jersey, northernDelaware, and the northernEastern Shore of Maryland, though it is sometimes considered atri-state region if northeasternMaryland is excluded. With a core metropolitan statistical area population of 6.245 million residents and acombined statistical area population of 7.379 million as of the 2020 census, it is theninth-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2024 and the68th-largest metropolitan region in the world.
In addition to Philadelphia, other major population centers in the Philadelphia metro area includeReading,Upper Darby Township, andChester in Pennsylvania;Atlantic City,Camden,Vineland, andCherry Hill in South Jersey; andWilmington andDover in Delaware. As of 2023, the Philadelphia metro area'sgross domestic product (GDP) exceeds US$557 billion, making it the nation's11th-largest metropolitan economy.[3]
The Philadelphia metropolitan area has been influential in the nation's history andeconomy and home to many people and sites significant toAmerican culture,history, and politics. Philadelphia is sometimes known as "The Birthplace of America"[4] in reference to its role as therevolutionary capital during thecolonial era in which theSecond Continental Congress gathered atIndependence Hall and unanimously adopted theDeclaration of Independence, authorized the formation of theContinental Army, and appointedGeorge Washington its commander to resist theBritish. After the Continental Army's victory, Philadelphia served as thenation's first capital for most of the 18th century until 1800, when construction ofWashington, D.C. was completed. TheU.S. Constitution, the world's longest-standing body of federal law, was ratified at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1789.
The metro area is one of the nation's leading regions for academia and academic research with a considerable number of globally-known and highly ranked universities, including theUniversity of Pennsylvania, one of the nation's eightIvy League universities. Other major universities and colleges in the region includeSwarthmore College,Drexel University,La Salle University,Bryn Mawr College,Rowan University,Rutgers University–Camden,Saint Joseph's University,Stockton University,Temple University,Thomas Jefferson University, theUniversity of Delaware,Villanova University,West Chester University,Widener University,Ursinus College,Haverford College, thePennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, theMoore College of Art and Design, theTyler School of Art and Architecture, and others.[5]
The Philadelphia metropolitan area is considered abiotechnology hub.[6] As of 2024, the area ranks as one of the Big Five U.S.venture capital hubs, facilitated by its proximity to both New York City'sentrepreneurial andfinancial ecosystems and to thefederal regulatory environment of Washington, D.C.[7] Elsewhere in the metropolitan area, South Jersey has emerged as anEast Coast epicenter forlogistics and major warehouses.[8]
Culturally, the region is home to the dialect known asPhiladelphia English, shares a unique cuisine known asPhiladelphia cuisine, has played aformidable role in popular music, and is known for having one of the nation's most passionate and devoted sports cultures centered around itsfive professional sports teams.

The Philadelphia metropolitan area is geographically associated and proximate to theDelaware River and its three primary tributaries, theSchuylkill River,Lehigh River, andBrandywine Creek.
U.S. government agencies have reached various definitions of metropolitan Philadelphia. TheOffice of Management and Budget (OMB) definesmetropolitan statistical area (MSAs), which are regions with relatively high population densities at their cores and close economic ties throughout their respective areas. MSAs are further combined intocombined statistical areas (CSAs), reflecting commuting patterns. Neither is a formal administrative division.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 171,430 | — | |
| 1830 | 228,203 | 33.1% | |
| 1840 | 305,278 | 33.8% | |
| 1850 | 467,053 | 53.0% | |
| 1860 | 636,029 | 36.2% | |
| 1870 | 841,230 | 32.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,062,677 | 26.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,391,157 | 30.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,892,496 | 36.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,268,209 | 19.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,714,271 | 19.7% | |
| 1930 | 3,137,040 | 15.6% | |
| 1940 | 3,299,637 | 5.2% | |
| 1950 | 3,671,048 | 11.3% | |
| 1960 | 4,757,462 | 29.6% | |
| 1970 | 5,317,407 | 11.8% | |
| 1980 | 5,240,039 | −1.5% | |
| 1990 | 5,435,468 | 3.7% | |
| 2000 | 5,687,147 | 4.6% | |
| 2010 | 5,965,343 | 4.9% | |
| 2020 | 6,245,051 | 4.7% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 6,241,164 | −0.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the2020 U.S. census, the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area is theseventh-largest MSA in the nation with 6,245,051 people.[9] The MSA includes:
| County | 2021 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | 1,576,251 | 1,603,797 | −1.72% | 134.28 sq mi (347.8 km2) | 11,739/sq mi (4,532/km2) |
| Montgomery County | 860,578 | 856,553 | +0.47% | 483 sq mi (1,250 km2) | 1,782/sq mi (688/km2) |
| Bucks County | 646,098 | 646,538 | −0.07% | 604 sq mi (1,560 km2) | 1,070/sq mi (413/km2) |
| Delaware County | 573,849 | 576,830 | −0.52% | 184 sq mi (480 km2) | 3,119/sq mi (1,204/km2) |
| New Castle County | 571,708 | 570,719 | +0.17% | 426 sq mi (1,100 km2) | 1,342/sq mi (518/km2) |
| Chester County | 538,649 | 534,413 | +0.79% | 751 sq mi (1,950 km2) | 717/sq mi (277/km2) |
| Camden County | 523,771 | 523,485 | +0.05% | 221.26 sq mi (573.1 km2) | 2,367/sq mi (914/km2) |
| Burlington County | 464,269 | 461,860 | +0.52% | 798.58 sq mi (2,068.3 km2) | 581/sq mi (224/km2) |
| Gloucester County | 304,477 | 302,294 | +0.72% | 322 sq mi (830 km2) | 946/sq mi (365/km2) |
| Salem County | 65,046 | 64,837 | +0.32% | 331.9 sq mi (860 km2) | 196/sq mi (76/km2) |
| Cecil County | 103,725 | 104,870 | −1.09% | 418 sq mi (1,080 km2) | 251/sq mi (97/km2) |
| Total MSA Population | 6,228,601 | 6,245,051 | −0.26% | 4,602.02 sq mi (11,919.2 km2) | 1,353/sq mi (523/km2) |
As of 2020, the Philadelphia–Reading–Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA is the nation's ninth-largestcombined statistical area with a population of 7,379,700.Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area includes:
| County | 2021 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berks County | 429,342 | 428,849 | +0.11% | 857 sq mi (2,220 km2) | 501/sq mi (193/km2) |
| Atlantic County | 274,966 | 274,534 | +0.16% | 555.7 sq mi (1,439 km2) | 495/sq mi (191/km2) |
| Kent County | 184,149 | 181,851 | +1.26% | 586 sq mi (1,520 km2) | 314/sq mi (121/km2) |
| Cumberland County | 153,627 | 154,152 | −0.34% | 483.7 sq mi (1,253 km2) | 318/sq mi (123/km2) |
| Cape May County | 95,661 | 95,263 | +0.42% | 251.42 sq mi (651.2 km2) | 380/sq mi (147/km2) |
| Total CSA Population | 7,366,346 | 7,379,700 | −0.18% | 7,335.84 sq mi (18,999.7 km2) | 1,004/sq mi (388/km2) |

When metropolitan areas were originally defined in 1950, most of this urban area was split between four metropolitan areas, or standard metropolitan areas, as they were then called. The Philadelphia SMA includedPhiladelphia,Bucks,Chester,Delaware, andMontgomery counties inPennsylvania, andBurlington,Camden, andGloucester counties inSouth Jersey. The Wilmington SMA includedNew Castle County inDelaware andSalem County in South Jersey.Berks County was designated as the Reading SMA andAtlantic County, New Jersey was the Atlantic City SMA.
In 1960,Cecil County, Maryland was added to what was now the Wilmington Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). In 1980,Cumberland County, New Jersey was defined as the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSA.
In 1990, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSAs were merged with the Trenton SMSA to form thePhiladelphia–Wilmington–Trenton Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the same time,Cape May County, New Jersey was added to the Atlantic City SMSA. The "Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton" became obsolete one census later whenTrenton, New Jersey was moved to the New York-Newark-Bridgeport CSA. The Philadelphia-Wilmington-Vineland CSA included the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden MSA and the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton MSA.[10]
In 2000,Kent County, Delaware was designated the Dover MSA, and Kent County andAtlantic City were added to the Philadelphia CSA in 2010. As a result of new 2010 definitions, based on a threshold of 15% labor interchange between MSAs, two additional MSAs were added,Ocean City, New Jersey andReading, Pennsylvania. The CSA to which they belong is known as Philadelphia-Reading-Camden.[11]
All of it is Humid Subtropical
The Philadelphia–Reading–Camden combined statistical area includes sixteen counties in four states. The fivePennsylvania counties in the metropolitan statistical area are collectively known as Southeastern Pennsylvania.[12] In addition to Philadelphia, major municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania include the inner suburbs ofUpper Darby Township andBensalem Township.Berks County, which forms its own MSA and contains the CSA's second largest city,Reading, is occasionally not considered to be part of Southeastern Pennsylvania and is sometimes assigned toSouth Central Pennsylvania.
The sevenNew Jersey counties in the CSA are inSouth Jersey.[13] Atlantic County, Cape May County, and Cumberland County each form their own respective metropolitan statistical areas.Atlantic City,Cape May County, New Jersey, and the southernJersey Shore, includingMargate City,Ventnor City,the Wildwoods,Northfield,Sea Isle City, are major tourist destinations for people from inside and outside of the metropolitan area. Other major municipalities in South Jersey includeCherry Hill andCamden, which is across theDelaware River, east of Philadelphia.Burlington,Camden,Gloucester, andSalem Counties comprise the Delaware River Region, one of seven officially recognizedtourism regions by the New Jersey Department of Tourism.[14]
The two counties of Delaware in the CSA constitute a majority of Delaware's land mass and population.Wilmington is the most populous city in Delaware and the fifth-most populous municipality in the metropolitan Philadelphia. The lone Maryland county in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area is part of the region known as theEastern Shore of Maryland.
Ethnically,Indians make up the largest foreign-born population in Greater Philadelphia.[15]




The following municipalities are all within the Philadelphia–Reading–Camdencombined statistical area as of the2020 census:[16]
| City | Pop. | County | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 1,603,797 | Philadelphia | PA |
| Reading | 95,112 | Berks | PA |
| Upper Darby Township | 85,681 | Delaware | PA |
| Cherry Hill | 74,553 | Camden | NJ |
| Camden | 71,792 | Camden | NJ |
| Wilmington | 70,898 | New Castle | DE |
| Gloucester Township | 66,034 | Camden | NJ |
| Lower Merion Township | 63,633 | Montgomery | PA |
| Bensalem Township | 62,707 | Bucks | PA |
| Vineland | 60,780 | Cumberland | NJ |
| Abington Township | 58,502 | Montgomery | PA |
| Bristol Township | 54,291 | Bucks | PA |
| Haverford Township | 50,437 | Delaware | PA |
| Washington Township | 48,667 | Gloucester | NJ |
| Egg Harbor Township | 47,842 | Atlantic | NJ |
| Evesham Township | 46,826 | Burlington | NJ |
| Middletown Township | 46,040 | Bucks | PA |
| Mount Laurel | 44,633 | Burlington | NJ |
| Northampton Township | 39,915 | Bucks | PA |
| Winslow Township | 39,907 | Camden | NJ |
The Philadelphia metro area has four distinct seasons with ample precipitation and is divided by the 0 °C (32 °F) Januaryisotherm. Philadelphia and the New Jersey portion of the area, almost all of the Delaware and Maryland portions, most of Delaware County and lower Bucks County, lowland southern Chester County, and some southern and lowland areas of Montgomery County have ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa according to theKöppen climate classification.) The remainder of the metro area has a hot summerhumid continental climate (Dfa.)PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University
Snow amounts may vary widely year-to-year and normally do vary widely within metro Philadelphia. The region has two ski resorts,Bear Creek Mountain Resort inLongswamp Township, Berks County and Spring Mountain Adventures in centralMontgomery County.
Using the -3 °C January isotherm as a boundary, all of the metro area is humid subtropical. Thehardiness zone in the region ranges from 6b in higher areas of Berks and northern Bucks Counties to 8a in Atlantic City and Cape May.[1]
Using theTrewartha climate classification system, which requires eight months to average at least 50 °F for the climate to be considered subtropical, the region only has seven such months, so the area consideredCfa by Köppen isoceanic (Do) in the Trewartha system.
Climate data for Philadelphia (Philadelphia Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[b] extremes 1872–present[c] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) | 79 (26) | 87 (31) | 95 (35) | 97 (36) | 102 (39) | 104 (40) | 106 (41) | 102 (39) | 96 (36) | 84 (29) | 73 (23) | 106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 63.3 (17.4) | 63.5 (17.5) | 73.8 (23.2) | 84.3 (29.1) | 90.2 (32.3) | 94.8 (34.9) | 97.1 (36.2) | 94.8 (34.9) | 90.6 (32.6) | 82.6 (28.1) | 72.4 (22.4) | 64.2 (17.9) | 98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41.3 (5.2) | 44.3 (6.8) | 52.8 (11.6) | 64.7 (18.2) | 74.4 (23.6) | 83.2 (28.4) | 87.8 (31.0) | 85.8 (29.9) | 78.9 (26.1) | 67.2 (19.6) | 55.9 (13.3) | 46.0 (7.8) | 65.2 (18.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.7 (0.9) | 35.9 (2.2) | 43.6 (6.4) | 54.5 (12.5) | 64.3 (17.9) | 73.5 (23.1) | 78.7 (25.9) | 76.8 (24.9) | 69.9 (21.1) | 58.2 (14.6) | 47.4 (8.6) | 38.6 (3.7) | 56.3 (13.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.0 (−3.3) | 27.5 (−2.5) | 34.3 (1.3) | 44.3 (6.8) | 54.2 (12.3) | 63.9 (17.7) | 69.6 (20.9) | 67.9 (19.9) | 60.9 (16.1) | 49.2 (9.6) | 38.8 (3.8) | 31.2 (−0.4) | 47.3 (8.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 10.7 (−11.8) | 13.7 (−10.2) | 20.8 (−6.2) | 33.0 (0.6) | 43.1 (6.2) | 53.2 (11.8) | 62.2 (16.8) | 60.3 (15.7) | 49.5 (9.7) | 37.1 (2.8) | 26.4 (−3.1) | 19.0 (−7.2) | 8.6 (−13.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | −11 (−24) | 5 (−15) | 14 (−10) | 28 (−2) | 44 (7) | 51 (11) | 44 (7) | 35 (2) | 25 (−4) | 8 (−13) | −5 (−21) | −11 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.13 (80) | 2.75 (70) | 3.96 (101) | 3.47 (88) | 3.34 (85) | 4.04 (103) | 4.38 (111) | 4.29 (109) | 4.40 (112) | 3.47 (88) | 2.91 (74) | 3.97 (101) | 44.11 (1,120) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.1 (18) | 8.4 (21) | 3.6 (9.1) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 3.5 (8.9) | 23.1 (59) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 11.0 | 9.7 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 10.1 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 11.0 | 120.8 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 4.1 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 12.0 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 66.2 | 63.6 | 61.7 | 60.4 | 65.4 | 67.8 | 69.6 | 70.4 | 71.6 | 70.8 | 68.4 | 67.7 | 67.0 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 21.0 (−6.1) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 37.0 (2.8) | 49.5 (9.7) | 59.2 (15.1) | 64.6 (18.1) | 63.7 (17.6) | 57.2 (14.0) | 45.7 (7.6) | 35.6 (2.0) | 25.5 (−3.6) | 42.3 (5.7) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 155.7 | 154.7 | 202.8 | 217.0 | 245.1 | 271.2 | 275.6 | 260.1 | 219.3 | 204.5 | 154.7 | 137.7 | 2,498.4 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 52 | 52 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 59 | 59 | 52 | 47 | 56 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Source 1:NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[20][21][18] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV index)[22] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Philadelphia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average sea temperature °F (°C) | 41.8 (5.5) | 39.9 (4.4) | 41.2 (5.1) | 46.7 (8.2) | 53.9 (12.2) | 66.3 (19.0) | 74.0 (23.3) | 75.9 (24.4) | 71.4 (21.9) | 64.2 (17.9) | 55.1 (12.8) | 47.7 (8.8) | 56.5 (13.6) |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 12.2 |
| Source: Weather Atlas[22] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forAtlantic City International Airport, 1991–2020 normals,[d] extremes 1874–present[e] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) | 76 (24) | 87 (31) | 94 (34) | 99 (37) | 106 (41) | 105 (41) | 103 (39) | 99 (37) | 96 (36) | 84 (29) | 77 (25) | 106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 63.5 (17.5) | 64.8 (18.2) | 73.2 (22.9) | 83.2 (28.4) | 89.3 (31.8) | 94.5 (34.7) | 96.9 (36.1) | 94.6 (34.8) | 90.1 (32.3) | 82.8 (28.2) | 72.7 (22.6) | 65.3 (18.5) | 98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.2 (6.2) | 45.8 (7.7) | 52.6 (11.4) | 63.3 (17.4) | 72.5 (22.5) | 81.5 (27.5) | 86.6 (30.3) | 84.8 (29.3) | 78.5 (25.8) | 67.7 (19.8) | 57.1 (13.9) | 48.1 (8.9) | 65.1 (18.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34.1 (1.2) | 36.0 (2.2) | 42.6 (5.9) | 52.5 (11.4) | 61.9 (16.6) | 71.4 (21.9) | 76.9 (24.9) | 75.0 (23.9) | 68.4 (20.2) | 57.1 (13.9) | 46.8 (8.2) | 38.7 (3.7) | 55.1 (12.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 32.6 (0.3) | 41.7 (5.4) | 51.4 (10.8) | 61.3 (16.3) | 67.2 (19.6) | 65.2 (18.4) | 58.2 (14.6) | 46.4 (8.0) | 36.6 (2.6) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 45.1 (7.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 6.5 (−14.2) | 9.7 (−12.4) | 16.1 (−8.8) | 26.7 (−2.9) | 36.0 (2.2) | 46.2 (7.9) | 55.9 (13.3) | 53.8 (12.1) | 43.5 (6.4) | 31.0 (−0.6) | 20.4 (−6.4) | 14.0 (−10.0) | 4.4 (−15.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −10 (−23) | −11 (−24) | 2 (−17) | 12 (−11) | 25 (−4) | 37 (3) | 42 (6) | 40 (4) | 32 (0) | 20 (−7) | 10 (−12) | −7 (−22) | −11 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.38 (86) | 3.23 (82) | 4.52 (115) | 3.32 (84) | 3.34 (85) | 3.58 (91) | 4.47 (114) | 4.59 (117) | 3.55 (90) | 4.14 (105) | 3.37 (86) | 4.47 (114) | 45.96 (1,167) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.7 (14) | 5.9 (15) | 2.2 (5.6) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 3.2 (8.1) | 17.4 (44) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 3.6 (9.1) | 3.1 (7.9) | 1.3 (3.3) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.9 (4.8) | 6.0 (15) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.8 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 11.4 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 10.8 | 120.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 3.0 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 8.9 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 69.5 | 69.0 | 66.9 | 66.4 | 70.7 | 72.9 | 73.9 | 75.7 | 76.4 | 74.8 | 72.8 | 70.6 | 71.6 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 21.6 (−5.8) | 23.2 (−4.9) | 30.0 (−1.1) | 37.9 (3.3) | 49.5 (9.7) | 59.4 (15.2) | 64.8 (18.2) | 64.2 (17.9) | 57.7 (14.3) | 46.4 (8.0) | 37.0 (2.8) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 43.2 (6.2) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 150.8 | 157.9 | 204.5 | 218.9 | 243.9 | 266.2 | 276.3 | 271.3 | 227.6 | 200.5 | 147.4 | 133.8 | 2,499.1 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 50 | 53 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 60 | 61 | 64 | 61 | 58 | 49 | 46 | 56 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 1.6 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 6.0 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 5.0 |
| Source 1:NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[24][25][26] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: UV Index Today (1995 to 2022)[27] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Doylestown, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39 (4) | 43 (6) | 52 (11) | 63 (17) | 74 (23) | 82 (28) | 87 (31) | 85 (29) | 77 (25) | 66 (19) | 55 (13) | 44 (7) | 64 (18) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24 (−4) | 25 (−4) | 33 (1) | 42 (6) | 52 (11) | 61 (16) | 66 (19) | 65 (18) | 57 (14) | 45 (7) | 37 (3) | 29 (−2) | 45 (7) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.94 (100) | 2.87 (73) | 4.24 (108) | 3.85 (98) | 4.81 (122) | 3.61 (92) | 4.72 (120) | 4.34 (110) | 4.66 (118) | 3.35 (85) | 3.74 (95) | 3.80 (97) | 47.93 (1,217) |
| Source: Weather Channel[28] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Reading, PA (Reading Regional Airport) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1888–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) | 82 (28) | 88 (31) | 97 (36) | 96 (36) | 102 (39) | 106 (41) | 105 (41) | 102 (39) | 94 (34) | 84 (29) | 77 (25) | 106 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.6 (3.7) | 41.9 (5.5) | 51.0 (10.6) | 63.4 (17.4) | 73.5 (23.1) | 82.0 (27.8) | 86.5 (30.3) | 84.4 (29.1) | 77.1 (25.1) | 65.4 (18.6) | 53.8 (12.1) | 43.4 (6.3) | 63.4 (17.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 30.8 (−0.7) | 33.1 (0.6) | 41.5 (5.3) | 52.5 (11.4) | 62.5 (16.9) | 71.6 (22.0) | 76.1 (24.5) | 74.3 (23.5) | 66.9 (19.4) | 55.2 (12.9) | 44.6 (7.0) | 35.7 (2.1) | 53.7 (12.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 24.4 (−4.2) | 31.9 (−0.1) | 41.7 (5.4) | 51.5 (10.8) | 61.2 (16.2) | 65.8 (18.8) | 64.1 (17.8) | 56.6 (13.7) | 45.0 (7.2) | 35.4 (1.9) | 28.0 (−2.2) | 44.1 (6.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) | −13 (−25) | −2 (−19) | 12 (−11) | 26 (−3) | 36 (2) | 43 (6) | 39 (4) | 30 (−1) | 20 (−7) | 8 (−13) | −6 (−21) | −20 (−29) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.97 (75) | 2.61 (66) | 3.53 (90) | 3.35 (85) | 3.51 (89) | 4.77 (121) | 4.77 (121) | 4.49 (114) | 4.88 (124) | 3.80 (97) | 3.02 (77) | 3.51 (89) | 45.21 (1,148) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.3 | 10.2 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 12.5 | 12.4 | 10.7 | 11.2 | 9.1 | 10.1 | 8.9 | 10.8 | 128.5 |
| Source:NOAA[29][30] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Dover, Delaware (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) | 80 (27) | 88 (31) | 97 (36) | 98 (37) | 101 (38) | 104 (40) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 95 (35) | 85 (29) | 75 (24) | 104 (40) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66 (19) | 65 (18) | 73 (23) | 83 (28) | 88 (31) | 93 (34) | 95 (35) | 93 (34) | 89 (32) | 83 (28) | 74 (23) | 66 (19) | 96 (36) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.4 (6.9) | 47.4 (8.6) | 54.5 (12.5) | 66.0 (18.9) | 74.4 (23.6) | 82.7 (28.2) | 86.9 (30.5) | 85.1 (29.5) | 79.2 (26.2) | 68.9 (20.5) | 58.0 (14.4) | 48.6 (9.2) | 66.3 (19.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.0 (2.2) | 38.2 (3.4) | 45.0 (7.2) | 55.5 (13.1) | 64.4 (18.0) | 73.2 (22.9) | 77.9 (25.5) | 76.2 (24.6) | 70.1 (21.2) | 59.2 (15.1) | 48.7 (9.3) | 40.3 (4.6) | 57.1 (13.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 29.0 (−1.7) | 35.4 (1.9) | 44.9 (7.2) | 54.4 (12.4) | 63.8 (17.7) | 69.0 (20.6) | 67.3 (19.6) | 61.0 (16.1) | 49.5 (9.7) | 39.3 (4.1) | 32.1 (0.1) | 47.8 (8.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 11 (−12) | 13 (−11) | 20 (−7) | 31 (−1) | 41 (5) | 51 (11) | 59 (15) | 58 (14) | 48 (9) | 34 (1) | 24 (−4) | 18 (−8) | 9 (−13) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | −11 (−24) | 7 (−14) | 14 (−10) | 28 (−2) | 41 (5) | 45 (7) | 35 (2) | 30 (−1) | 25 (−4) | 11 (−12) | −3 (−19) | −11 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.43 (87) | 3.08 (78) | 4.21 (107) | 3.72 (94) | 3.89 (99) | 4.56 (116) | 4.14 (105) | 4.92 (125) | 4.25 (108) | 4.06 (103) | 3.36 (85) | 3.99 (101) | 47.61 (1,209) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.1 (10) | 5.9 (15) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.6 (6.6) | 13.2 (34) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 10.2 | 109.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 4.9 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Source 1:NOAA[29][30] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV)[31] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Wilmington, Delaware (New Castle County Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1894–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 75 (24) | 78 (26) | 86 (30) | 97 (36) | 98 (37) | 102 (39) | 103 (39) | 107 (42) | 100 (38) | 98 (37) | 85 (29) | 75 (24) | 107 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 63 (17) | 64 (18) | 74 (23) | 83 (28) | 89 (32) | 93 (34) | 96 (36) | 94 (34) | 90 (32) | 83 (28) | 72 (22) | 64 (18) | 97 (36) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41.4 (5.2) | 44.1 (6.7) | 52.5 (11.4) | 64.2 (17.9) | 73.5 (23.1) | 82.2 (27.9) | 86.8 (30.4) | 84.9 (29.4) | 78.5 (25.8) | 67.0 (19.4) | 55.9 (13.3) | 46.0 (7.8) | 64.8 (18.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.5 (0.8) | 35.5 (1.9) | 43.2 (6.2) | 53.9 (12.2) | 63.5 (17.5) | 72.6 (22.6) | 77.6 (25.3) | 75.8 (24.3) | 68.9 (20.5) | 57.2 (14.0) | 46.6 (8.1) | 38.2 (3.4) | 55.5 (13.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.6 (−3.6) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 33.9 (1.1) | 43.5 (6.4) | 53.4 (11.9) | 63.0 (17.2) | 68.3 (20.2) | 66.6 (19.2) | 59.3 (15.2) | 47.3 (8.5) | 37.4 (3.0) | 30.3 (−0.9) | 46.3 (7.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 10 (−12) | 12 (−11) | 19 (−7) | 30 (−1) | 39 (4) | 50 (10) | 58 (14) | 56 (13) | 45 (7) | 33 (1) | 23 (−5) | 16 (−9) | 7 (−14) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −14 (−26) | −15 (−26) | 2 (−17) | 11 (−12) | 30 (−1) | 40 (4) | 48 (9) | 43 (6) | 32 (0) | 23 (−5) | 11 (−12) | −7 (−22) | −15 (−26) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.23 (82) | 2.83 (72) | 4.16 (106) | 3.51 (89) | 3.57 (91) | 4.67 (119) | 4.41 (112) | 3.98 (101) | 4.38 (111) | 3.68 (93) | 3.06 (78) | 3.85 (98) | 45.33 (1,151) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.1 (15) | 7.8 (20) | 3.1 (7.9) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 2.9 (7.4) | 20.2 (51) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.8 | 10.0 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 10.6 | 121.8 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 10.7 |
| Source:NOAA[29][30] | |||||||||||||
As of 2021, the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area has agross domestic product of $477.58 billion, thetenth-largest among the nation's MSAs. The MSA's nominal gross domestic product of $431 billion is comparable tocountries, such asBelgium,Iran, andThailand.[32] Metropolitan Philadelphia is one of the top five Americanventure capital hubs, credited to its proximity to theNew York metropolitan area and itsfinancial andtech and biotechnology ecosystems.
At least two educational institutions,Delaware Valley Regional High School inAlexandria Township, New Jersey, andDelaware Valley College inDoylestown Township, Pennsylvania, and a now defunct local newspaper,The Delaware Valley News inFrenchtown, New Jersey, are named for the region.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) serves all of the counties of the Philadelphia MSA except for the counties in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division. However, in addition to the metropolitan area, DVRPC's jurisdiction includesMercer County, New Jersey, which OMB classifies as the Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and part of the largerNew York-Newark CSA.[33]
The valley was the territory of theSusquehannock andLenape, who are recalled in place names throughout the region. The region became part of the Dutch colony ofNew Netherland after the exploration ofDelaware Bay in 1609. The Dutch called theDelaware River theZuyd Rivier, or South River, and considered the lands along it banks and those of itsbay to be the southern flank of its province ofNew Netherland. In 1638, it began to be settled by Swedes, Forest Finns, Dutch, andWalloons and became the colony ofNew Sweden, though this was not officially recognized by theDutch Empire which re-asserted control in 1655. The area was taken by theEnglish in 1664.[34]The name Delaware comes fromThomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, who had arrived atJamestown, Virginia in 1610, just as original settlers were about to abandon it, and thus maintaining the English foothold on theNorth American continent. In the early 1700s,Huguenot refugees from France by way of Germany and then England began settling in the Delaware River Valley. Specifically, they left their mark inHunterdon County, New Jersey (Frenchtown) andBethlehem, Pennsylvania.[35]
Many residents commute to jobs and travel in Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, and the surrounding suburbs with the help ofexpressways,trains, andbuses. There are currently no transit connections to Reading, the second largest municipality in the region.




Major:
Secondary:
TheCape May–Lewes Ferry crosses the mouth of theDelaware Bay betweenCape May County, New Jersey andSussex County, Delaware;US 9 uses this ferry.
TheRiverLink Ferry operates hourly ferry service over theDelaware River between theCamden Waterfront andPenn's Landing inPhiladelphia.[37] They also operate a special event service for concerts atFreedom Mortgage Pavilion inCamden.[38]



Philadelphia's suburbs contain a high concentration of malls, the two largest of which have at least 5,000,000 square feet (460,000 m2) of office space, and at least 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) of retail. These are theKing of Prussia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which is the largest in the U.S. (leasable sq. feet of retail space), and theCherry Hill Mall inCherry Hill, New Jersey, which was the first enclosed mall on the East Coast. In addition, theChristiana Mall in Newark, Delaware, is a popular destination due to its proximity toInterstate 95 and because of the availability of tax-free shopping in Delaware. Malls, office complexes, strip shopping plazas, expressways, and tract housing are common sights, and more and more continue to replace rolling countryside, farms, woods, and wetlands. However, due to strong opposition by residents and political officials, many acres of land have been preserved throughout the metro area. Older townships and large boroughs, such asCheltenham,Norristown,Jenkintown,Upper Darby, andWest Chester retain distinct community identities while engulfed in suburbia.
Mid-Atlantic American English and its subset,Philadelphia English, are two common dialects ofAmerican English in the Philadelphia area.

Listing of the professional sports teams in the Philadelphia metro area:
The Philadelphia metro area has several urban areas that border on it, including theLehigh Valley, and are part of thePhiladelphia media market, thefourth-largest media market in the nation as of 2023.[40]
The two main newspapers areThe Philadelphia Inquirer and thePhiladelphia Daily News, owned by thePhiladelphia Media Network. Local television channels includeKYW-TV 3 (CBS),WPVI 6 (ABC),WCAU 10 (NBC),WHYY-TV 12 (PBS),WPHL-TV 17 (MyNetworkTV),WTXF 29 (FOX),WPSG 57 (CW), andWPPX 61 (Ion). Radio stations serving the area include:WRTI,WIOQ,WDAS (AM), andWTEL.
The city ofPhiladelphia is heavilyDemocratic, having voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since1936. The surrounding suburban counties are key political areas in Pennsylvania, which itself is an importantswing state in federal politics.[41] South Jersey has consistently voted Democratic at the presidential level in recent years, although the region is slightly more Republican-leaning than North Jersey and has voted for Republicans at the state and local level.[42] New Castle County's Democratic lean and large share of Delaware's population has tended to make Delaware as a whole vote for Democrats, while the less populous Kent County is more competitive.[43] Cecil County in Maryland has been reliably Republican, voting for the party's candidate in all but two presidential elections since1952. Recent well-known political figures from the Philadelphia area include former U.S. PresidentJoe Biden, current Pennsylvania governorJosh Shapiro, former Pennsylvania governorEd Rendell, and the late U.S. SenatorArlen Specter.
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 62.2%1,558,902 | 36.7%918,668 | 1.1%26,749 |
| 2020 | 64.5%1,610,595 | 34.6%862,827 | 0.9%23,665 |
| 2016 | 62.8%1,404,688 | 34.0%759,247 | 3.2%72,179 |
| 2012 | 63.9%1,361,797 | 35.1%747,822 | 1.0%21,781 |
| 2008 | 65.3%1,442,154 | 33.7%743,228 | 1.0%21,905 |
| 2004 | 61.5%1,276,306 | 38.0%787,892 | 0.4%9,123 |
| 2000 | 60.0%1,036,313 | 37.4%645,452 | 2.7%45,917 |
The followingcongressional districts of theUnited States House of Representatives are located partly or entirely in the Phladelphia combined statistical area.Italicized counties are not part of the CSA.
| District | Incumbent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | PVI | Incumbent | Party | Counties |
| DE-AL | D+6 | Sarah McBride | D | Kent, New Castle, andSussex |
| MD-1 | R+14 | Andy Harris | R | Baltimore,Caroline,Carroll, Cecil,Dorchester,Harford,Kent,Queen Anne's,Somerset,Talbot,Wicomico, andWorcester |
| NJ-1 | D+13 | Donald Norcross | D | Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester |
| NJ-2 | R+1 | Jeff Van Drew | R | Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester,Ocean, and Salem |
| NJ-3 | R+2 | Herb Conaway | D | Burlington andOcean |
| PA-1 | R+1 | Brian Fitzpatrick | R | Bucks and Montgomery |
| PA-2 | D+25 | Brendan Boyle | D | Philadelphia |
| PA-3 | D+41 | Dwight Evans | D | Philadelphia |
| PA-4 | D+7 | Madeleine Dean | D | Berks and Montgomery |
| PA-5 | D+13 | Mary Gay Scanlon | D | Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia |
| PA-6 | D+2 | Chrissy Houlahan | D | Berks and Chester |
| PA-9 | R+14 | Dan Meuser | R | Berks,Carbon,Columbia,Lebanon,Luzerne,Montour,Northumberland, andSchuylkill |
Additionally, the Philadelphia metro area is represented in theUnited States Senate by the eight Senators from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
In South Jersey, the area has become the "epicenter" of warehouse construction in the greater Philadelphia region..'Activity in the Southern New Jersey industrial market continues to amaze,' the report said.
39°52′37″N75°19′23″W / 39.877°N 75.323°W /39.877; -75.323