May 25, 2017
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
The Philadelphia skyline seen from the 'Dalian on the Park' building above Whole Foods Market near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The U.S. Census Bureau released its latest statistics on city growth and population across the nation, and for the first time in the Bureau's existence, Philadelphia has dropped out of the country’s top five most populous cities.
Despite a promising retail market, a growing housing market and so many tourists we can’t even get a soft pretzel without witnessing a selfie in motion, the rising population of Philadelphia isn’t a match for the expansion occurring out west. This brings us to our newest enemy contemporary: Phoenix, Arizona, which is now ranked as the fifth most populous city in the U.S., claiming the slot previously held by Philly.
You may remember Phoenix from such hits as briefly appearing in "Arrested Development," being the town Kristen Stewart moves from in "Twilight" and the non-Universal Studios iteration of the Bates Motel from "Psycho."
Also outranking Philly are New York (the most populous U.S. city since the beginning of ever), Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. The top 10 is rounded out with other western cities, including San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas and San Jose.
It’s no surprise Phoenix saw such a high placement in this year’s rankings, with a reported population increase of 32,113 between July 2015 and July 2016 – more than any other city in the U.S.
Check out more stats from the Bureau here.
