Work means Indianapolis for about half of Philadelphia’s working residents
Hardly any work in Philadelphia; the top destination outside it is Indianapolis (48%, 16 miles). At home: 0% of workers have no commute at all (Indiana 11%). There are 59 jobs in Philadelphia, and 122 of its residents work somewhere.
Census ACS 2020–24, Census LEHD 2024, EPA Smart Location Database. How the two grades are made
The daily commute in and out of Philadelphia
On a workday 122 residents head out to work, none work right here, and 59 people come in from elsewhere.
About 370 people are in Philadelphia on a workday afternoon, 15% fewer than live here.
0.48 jobs for every working resident, so most people commute out.
Workday population = residents − those who work elsewhere + those who come in (the Census “commuter-adjusted” method). Residents: Census survey; commuters: LEHD 2024, primary jobs.
The places Philadelphia commutes to
Where Philadelphia clocks in
48% of workers
13% of workers
3% of workersLines run between town centers. The top 10 towns each way; “Everywhere else” is the rest, including other states.
A thicker line means more commuters. Switch between where residents work and where the people who work here live.
Health, schools and offices: most of the jobs in Philadelphia
What kind of work
What it pays
Who does it
Jobs based in Philadelphia, 2014 → 2024: 8 → 59. Big swings can come from how a large employer reports its locations, not only from real openings or closings.
Primary jobs covered by unemployment insurance (not the self-employed). Pay is monthly earnings. LEHD 2024.
Here is what they are, next to the jobs Philadelphia’s own residents hold wherever they work.
Working from home in Philadelphia
of Philadelphia workers work from home, vs 11% across Indiana. Their commute is the hallway.
Share of the 159 commuters (the 0% who work from home are left out). Across Indiana: 85% drive alone, 1% take transit; U.S.: 81% and 4%. Census ACS 2020–24.
From the Census survey of workers who don’t work from home.
Half of Philadelphia commutes less than 17 miles
Straight-line distance from each worker’s home block to their main job’s block. LEHD 2024.
Every working resident’s trip, home to work, as the crow flies. Roads add to it, so real drives run longer.
The towns around Philadelphia
Jobs & commute next door
| Town | Philadelphia workers there | Jobs & income | Walkability | Commute | Household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | – | — | — | — | $24,873 |
| Buck Creek Township | under 2% | A | C− | 29 min | $111,224 |
| Center Township | under 2% | A− | B− | 26 min | $78,859 |
Same-state neighbors only. Commute: average minutes each way, Census ACS 2020–24.
Darker towns draw more of Philadelphia’s workers. Tap a town to see its commute.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Two sources, two years. Trips, distances and jobs based here: Census LEHD 2024, primary jobs, where the employer reports them. Income, poverty, unemployment, commute time and how people travel: Census ACS 2020–24 averages.
- Straight lines, older transit. Miles are as the crow flies. EPA’s walkability and transit files use 2017–20 inputs.
Jobs and commuting in Philadelphia: questions
What is the median household income in Philadelphia?
$24,873 (±$18,697) (Census ACS 2020–24), against $71,957 across Indiana and $80,734 nationally.
What is the poverty rate in Philadelphia?
11.4%, against 12.3% across Indiana and 12.5% nationally (Census ACS 2020–24).
Where do people who live in Philadelphia work?
0% work in town.
Can you get around Philadelphia without a car?
0% of commuters take transit and 0% of households have no car. EPA has no transit data for this county.
Commuter talk
Getting to work from Philadelphia, from the people who make the trip.
More of Philadelphia
Flows, distances and jobs: U.S. Census Bureau, LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES 8), 2024, primary jobs. Commute time, working from home and working out of state: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Distances are straight lines between home and work; real drives run longer.