National Center for Healthy Housing

Philadelphia, PA

Location Summary

Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, the Philadelphia area has fewer homes with water supply stoppages, room heaters without a flue, and lack kitchen facilities. Areas outside the central city have homes which are less likely to have signs of rats, water supply stoppages, and room heaters without a flue. Rental homes are less likely to have water supply stoppages and room heaters without a flue. Compared to the national average, rental homes were lesss likely to have water supply stoppages, sewage disposal breakdowns, room heaters without a flue, and lack adequate kitchen facilities. Owner occupied homes had fewer issues with water supply stoppages and room heaters without a flue.

Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, Philadelphia-area homes have more problems with open cracks in walls, broken plaster/peeling paint, signs of mice, water leaks from in and outside, heating equipment breakdowns, exposed wire in the unit, and rooms without working electrical outlets. Central city homes are more likely to have open cracks or holes in walls, broken plaster, signs of mice, water leaks from in and outside, heating equipment breakdowns, rooms without working electrical outlets , and problems with windows. Areas outside the central city are more likely to have units with broken plaster/peeling paint, signs of mice, water leaks from outside, heating equipment breakdowns, exposed wire in the unit, and rooms without working electrical outlets. Owner-occupied homes are more likely to have problems with open cracks in walls, broken plaster/peeling paint, signs of mice, water leaks from in and outside, heating equipment breakdowns, exposed wire in the unit, and rooms without working electrical outlets. Rental homes, compared to the national average, were more likely to have problems with open cracks or holes in walls, signs of mice, water leaks from outside, heating equipment breakdowns, and exposed wire in the unit.

Community Information: The Philadelphia MSA includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties, New Jersey. In 2003, the MSA included 1,789,600 occupied dwelling units, 33.6% of which were located in the central city of Philadelphia. The housing stock of the MSA ranks among the oldest and least heavily rental of the cities surveyed. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 9th-oldest (30.1%) for the MSA and 8th-oldest (55.1%) for the central city. The median house age in the Philadelphia MSA was 1959. The percentage of rental units ranked 5th-least heavily rental (21.8%) for the MSA and 8th-least heavily rental (40.6%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Philadelphia had a higher poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 29th (13.1%) for the entire MSA and 31st (25.3%) for homes in the central city.