Connor Barwin's Civic Season

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

Philadelphia versus Phoenix makes for a fascinating comparison. They are close in population size—1,537,058 people in Phoenix and 1,560,297 in Philadelphia. But that is where the similarity ends. Between 1950 and 2014, Philadelphia lost 25 percent of its population. Over the same 64 year period, Phoenix increased in population from 106,818 people to nearly 1.6 million.

This explains much of the data below. “When cities lose population, they lose those people who are most mobile and, on average, most wealthy,” explains Professor Richardson Dilworth of Drexel’s Center for Public Policy. “Thus we see that the 2009-2013 median family income in Phoenix of $47,139 is significantly higher than Philadelphia’s $37,192.”

But population increase tells only part of the story. “Most of Phoenix’s gain has actually come from territorial expansion,” Dilworth explains. “In 1950 when Philadelphia covered 130 square miles, Phoenix covered a mere 17 square miles. In 2010, by contrast, Phoenix covered 516.7 square miles. Philadelphia, of course, has been the same size in terms of square miles since 1854, when it expanded from 2 to 130 square miles.”

The fact that Phoenix has the same size population spread over almost 400 more square miles than Philadelphia explains why more people here bike to work. But, given Phoenix’s meteoric growth over the past half century and our population loss, why have a greater percentage of people reported moving to Philadelphia in the past year than to Phoenix? “First, that only records people moving into the city, not people moving out, so it is not a reflection of net city population loss or gain,” Dilworth responds. “And because of its massive territorial size it’s harder for people to actually leave Phoenix. Take someone who leaves Philadelphia to move to Collingswood or Narberth. The equivalent of both of these suburbs would be well within the city limits in Phoenix.”

The voter turnout data has another interesting backstory. Mayors are very weak in Phoenix; the office is actually part of the city council, but unlike the other council members, is elected at-large. “Phoenix’s mayor, in other words, is sort of the equivalent of someone like Allan Domb,” says Dilworth. They also have non-partisan elections. So they can’t whip up party support, and the fact that mayors are weak means that people care less about who gets elected.

While there are problems in Phoenix, particularly centering on immigration and longtime controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, there is a significant culture of innovation in Phoenix. According to Dilworth, thanks to the weak mayor system and nonpartisan elections, Phoenix has a far less political and more professional city government bureaucracy. Arizona Sate University, just outside Phoenix, was ranked by US News and World Report as the most innovative school in the country. By contrast, there was only one university in Philadelphia even included on the list—Drexel University, which was ranked #7. “ASU has been critical to Phoenix’s sustainability policies,” Dilworth says.

 Next week, we host Washington.

Results

Philadelphia

Eagles

vs

Arizona (Phoenix)

Cardinals

% BA or higher

24.4

7 POINTS

Cardinals

% BA or higher

26.5

% Below poverty

27.2

7 POINTS

Cardinals

% Below poverty

23.4

% Bike to work

2.1

7 POINTS

Eagles

% Bike to work

0.7

% Moved to city in past year

4.6

7 POINTS

Eagles

% Moved to city in past year

3.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

11.0

7 POINTS

Cardinals

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

6.3

% Volunteer

26.1

7 POINTS

Eagles

% Volunteer

23.1

% Voted in last mayoral election

25.5

7 POINTS

Eagles

% Voted in last mayoral election

20.81

Income Inequality Index

.51

7 POINTS

Cardinals

Income Inequality Index

.47

% of population aged 22 to 34

22.5

7 POINTS

Eagles

% of population aged 22 to 34

20.03

Final Score

35

Philadelphia

Eagles

Final Score

28

Sep. 14
21-35

Falcons

Falcons

Sep. 20
21-42

Cowboys

Cowboys

Sep. 27
28-35

Jets

Jets

Oct. 04
14-42

Redskins

Redskins

Oct. 11
21-42

Saints

Saints

Oct. 19
28-35

Giants

Giants

Oct. 25
21-35

Panthers

Panthers

Nov. 08
21-42

Cowboys

Cowboys

Nov. 15
56-0

Eagles

Dolphins

Nov. 22
35-28

Eagles

Buccaneers

Nov. 26
42-7

Eagles

Lions

Dec. 06
28-35

Patriots

Patriots

Dec. 13
42-21

Eagles

Bills

Oct. 19
35-28

Eagles

Cardinals

Dec. 26
14-42

Redskins

Redskins

Jan. 03
35-28

Eagles

Giants

Civic Record:

EAGLES

Wins

5

Losses

7

Upcoming Games:

Data compiled by Ken Gross, Quantitative Innovations.

All data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey 2011-2013 except: Volunteer rates; crime stats.

Voter turnout rates from Philadelphia’s 2015 general election; Phoenix’s 2015 general election.

More info on the GINI Index of Income Inequality.

* All team logos are property of the NFL and their respective franchises.

Homepage photo: Brian Garfinkel/Philadelphia Eagles

Be a Citizen Editor

Suggest a Story

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.