Philadelphia Sees Surge in Educated Resident Population

The city added tens of thousands of degree holders between 2014 and 2024 while office job levels remained stagnant.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Remote Work

Philadelphia Sees Surge in Educated Resident Population

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Philadelphia experienced a significant influx of highly educated residents between 2014 and 2024, ranking first among the 25 largest U.S. counties for growth in degree-holding residents aged 35 to 44. Despite this demographic shift, the city's office sector employment in 2025 remained at 2019 levels.

Why it matters

The rise in skilled residents highlights the city's success as an economic hub, even as traditional office employment has failed to mirror the population growth. This disconnect suggests shifting workforce patterns that are prompting the conversion of office space in Center City into residential units.

The number of residents aged 35 to 44 with at least a bachelor's degree grew 87% over the last decade, while the city counted nearly 119,000 office sector workers in 2025. Conversely, the healthcare and social assistance industries added 33,540 jobs since 2019.

The players

Burlington Stores

This national off-price department store retailer relocated its corporate headquarters from South Jersey to Philadelphia.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

This multinational financial services firm expanded its local footprint by opening a location at 2400 Market St.

The details

Philadelphia has leveraged its higher education institutions to attract professional talent, leading to an increase of over 41,000 residents aged 35 to 44 with degrees. While office work remains flat, the city has seen corporate activity through the relocation of Burlington Stores to Philadelphia and the expansion of JPMorgan Chase & Co. into 2400 Market St.

Between 2014 and 2024, the city experienced its period of rapid growth in degree-holding residents.
Employment figures in the office sector were measured in 2025.
Office sector employment figures from 2019 serve as the baseline for current comparisons.

Market Landscape

Philadelphia's population shift follows the nationwide trend of converting commercial office buildings to residential housing, indicating a structural adjustment in urban real estate usage. This trend mirrors the city's effort to reconcile its growing residential talent pool with a stagnant traditional office sector.

Residents may see continued transformation of Center City as more office properties are repurposed into residential units to accommodate the influx of professionals. This shift could impact local housing availability and the neighborhood development landscape for workers and businesses alike.

The takeaway

The city has successfully transformed into a hub for highly educated professionals even as traditional office job numbers remain static. Stakeholders should anticipate that future economic growth may require new office construction if current sector stagnation reverses.