The Case for Philly

 

I was honored to be on a panel discussion last month that included a spirited segment on why more young people are choosing to live in Philadelphia, whether that choice involved staying where you grew up or moving here from elsewhere. For me personally, college first brought me to Philly, and in the almost 29 years (gulp!) since I graduated, I've chosen to stay here, through one job and then another, getting married and becoming a dad three times over, and growing deeper social and civic roots.

I was older than all the panelists and most of the audience members, but my older kids are not too far from making their own grown-up decisions about where to live, so I did not feel unqualified to speak to what is driving young people's decisions. I respect that different people have different preferences, so not all places are equally attractive to all. I do think that Philly's strengths line up nicely with three things young people value and therefore make life choices around: sustainability, diversity, and affordability.

I could say something about each of these things, but then I'd miss out on how interconnected they are. So instead let me just make a few points that touch on one or more of those things:

1. In the Venn diagram of places that have big-city amenities, a transit system that allows you to forgo a car, and affordable living options, I think only Philly and Chicago are in the overlap, but I'd give the edge to Philly because not only can you get around without getting behind the wheel, you can also get to New York and DC without wheels. This combination of affordable housing and transportation, high quality of life, and avoiding things that are bad for the environment (gas consumption, suburban sprawl) is an increasingly attractive one for young people who value those things.

2. Affordability and walkability also enable social mixing across race and class. Public spaces are technically open to all, but things conspire to create segregating pressures such that you can go days without meaningfully interacting with people different from you.  Indeed, that is often expressly the point of local public policies, to ensure that housing and schools and shopping and green space are homogenous in their usage. Not so in Philly, where food halls and public parks and sports arenas and downtown streets create ample opportunity to rub elbows with people from all walks of life.

3. Add it all up and it's a compelling value package, especially for young people who are just starting out in their careers and may still be paying off student loans. Paying less for housing and not having to pay for a car, when combined with the rich cultural and social scene in one of America's biggest cities, is a great alternative to either living in a lifeless place or paying through the nose for rent and transportation. This sort of accessibility is attractive to diverse populations, making Philly more interesting and less homogenous than other cities competing for young talent.

I don't drink, but I do raise a glass to the City of Brotherly Love. We still have much work to do, but also much to commend to young people making choices about where to live, work, worship, learn, play, and contribute.