Week 1

Connor Barwin’s Civic Season

This week, the all-pro linebacker and citizen activist measures how our civic health stacks up against Atlanta

Week 1

Connor Barwin’s Civic Season

This week, the all-pro linebacker and citizen activist measures how our civic health stacks up against Atlanta

BY Connor Barwin

Sep. 15, 2015

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WEEK 1:

Philadelphia vs. Atlanta

Well, we lost a heartbreaker to Atlanta last night on the field, and, as you can see below, we lose to them in terms of our overall civic health, as well. In both football and civics, I like to look beyond the numbers. Today, the statistic that jumps out to me is that Atlanta beats us by a 2-to-1 ratio when it comes to the percentage of residents who have earned bachelor’s degrees—48 percent to 24 percent.

That’s a big difference. But, according to Professor Richardson Dilworth, director of Drexel’s Center for Public Policy, it’s not that surprising. After all, Atlanta stagnated like the rest of the South during Reconstruction and only became an important economic hub in the 20th Century. “Atlanta’s economy is newer and younger, and its major industries are thus more likely to be the kinds that require more college grads,” explains Dilworth. In addition, Dilworth notes that housing is much cheaper in Philadelphia on average, which attracts a lower wage population less likely to possess college degrees.

Next week, I’m psyched to take on Dallas—on the field, and off.

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