It's April 21st. This is Philadelphia News Today, driven by AI. Philly's showing real gains on gun violence and poverty, but the economy is heading some bumps according to the Pew Charitable Trust's 2026 State of. The City Report out this week homicides dropped to 222 last year, the lowest since 1966.
Shooting victims failed to 935, under 1000 for the first time since at least 2007. Overdose deaths are down too, thanks to a wider naloxone access and the new city-run Riverview Recovery Center that opened in January 20, 25. Poverty rate finally broke below 20% in 19.7, the first time since with big drops across all groups, especially Hispanic residents from 42.9% to 27.6. Experts like Pew's Katie Martin point out these fixes in Philly's roughest areas, but property crimes jumped, so total major crimes are up from.
Pre-pandemic lows. Still, the city shedding its poorest big city label after a decade of steady poverty declines, even of deep poverty lingers around 9.4%. Now the worries, median income stalled or dipped for white and Asian households, while unemployment climbed to 5.1% outpacing the region and nation. College degree holders over 25 flat-lined at 36.4%, and population dipped to 1,574,281 after pandemic outflows hit foreign-born residents hard.
Philly's never been more diverse at 37.7%, Black, 32.8, white, 16.4 Hispanic, 8.3, Asian, and the rest mixed, painting a mixed bag where tough fights are turning, but growth engines need a reboot to keep the momentum.