Philadelphia, United States

Current priorities

Low
Energy & electricity
High
Environment & sustainability
Medium
Governance & funding
Medium
IT infrastructure
High
Public safety & health
Very high
Mobility & transportation
Medium
Data & analytics
High
Buildings, public spaces
Medium
Citizens & service delivery
Very high
Payments & financial systems
High
Physical & digital security
Medium
Talent & education
Medium
Water & waste management

Main challenges to implementing smart projects identified by city officials

  • Attracting and retaining business
  • Changing demographics and diversity
  • High congestion and limited mobility
  • Significant talent and skills gaps

Operating budget

$5.03 billion

Capital budget

$3.02 billion

Baseline data

City population
Residents living within the municipal boundary
1.57 million
SourceYear: 2018Source: CEO Magazine
Region population
Residents living within the region
6.07 Million
SourceYear: 2018Source: CEO Magazine
Population density
Number of residents living within a square kilometer
4,537 People/sqKm
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Average household size
Average number of residents living in each household
2.56 People per household
SourceYear: 2017Source: ACS 2013-2017
Median age
Average age of residents
34.1 Years old
SourceYear: 2017Source: ACS 5-year estimates
Gender ratio (males : females)
Ratio of male to female residents
0.94:1 ratio
SourceYear: 2017Source: ACS 5-year estimates
GDP per capita
Gross Domestic Product, or the total market value of all goods and services produced, per resident
$72,990 USD
SourceYear: 2018Source: BEA
City GDP
Total Gross Domestic Product, or the total market value of all goods and services produced
$114.38B USD
SourceYear: 2018Source: Calculated based on population and per capita GDP
VAT rate
Value Added Tax rate, or the rate at which the value of an article has been increased at each stage of production or distribution
8% Percent
SourceYear: 2019Source: Teleport
Unemployment rate
Percentage of labor force that is unemployed
5.5% Percent
SourceYear: 2019Source: BLS - City Unemployment Rates
Labor force participation rate
Percentage of population belonging to labor force
61.6% Percentage
SourceYear: 2016Source: OECD - Regions
Labor productivity (national)
Amount of goods and services produced by the workforce
$119,208 USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist national figures
Income inequality/GINI coefficient
National measure of income distribution among residents to estimate income inequality
0.52 Index (0 = perfect equality, 1 = perfect inequality)
SourceYear: 2017Source: American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates
University quality index
Composite index of local universities world rank
0.48 Index (0 = low, 1 = high)
SourceYear: 2019Source: Teleport
Cost of living index (NY = 100)
Relative indicator of the cost of consumer goods, such as groceries, dining, transportation, and utilities
83.49 Index (NY = 100)
SourceYear: Mid-Year 2019Source: Numbeo
Property price to income ratio
Measure of apartment purchase affordability, generally calculated as the ratio of median apartment prices to median family disposable income, expressed as years of income. The rule of thumb is that the cost of a home should be about 2.6 times annual earnings.
3.83 Index
SourceYear: Mid-Year 2019Source: Numbeo
Rent index (NY = 100)
Estimation of the price of renting an apartment in a city compared to New York City
46.51 Index (NY = 100)
SourceYear: Mid-Year 2019Source: Numbeo

Environment and sustainability

29th
of 100 ranked cities
High
Priority level
1-2 years
Project start
+33%
Anticipated investment change

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
ROI
Advanced flood warning
Planning
Digital tracking
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Gamification of recycling
Piloting
Optimization of waste collection
Partial deployment
Small positive
Real-time air monitoring system
Piloting
Real-time water monitoring system
Planning
Sensor-enabled garbage bins
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Real-time pollution data
Planning

Baseline data

Total concentration of PM2.5
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers
10.98 Micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3)
SourceYear: 2014Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
CO2 emissions percent change (1990-2012)
Per capita CO2 emissions from the residential sector, using non-short-cycle organic fuels by 1990 and 2012
-28.4% Calculated percent change between 1990 and 2012
SourceYear: 1990, 2012, 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Pollution index
An estimation of the overall pollution in the city. The biggest weight is given to air pollution than to water pollution / accessibility
51.82 0 = low pollution, 100 = high pollution)
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Municipal waste generation (t/yr)
Municipal waste generation (t/yr)
2.49 Tonnes per year
SourceYear: 2014Source: Philadelphia Strees Department
Municipal waste generation per capita (kg/yr)
Municipal waste generation per capita (kg/yr)
1442.4 Kilograms per year
SourceYear: 2014Source: Philadelphia Strees Department
Municipal waste collection coverage
Municipal waste collection coverage
Percent
SourceYear: Source:
Percent population exposed to flooding
Population exposure of floods in 2015 divided by total population in 2015
18.95% Percent
SourceYear: 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
World Risk Index
The World Risk Index is based on a model for calculating the risk of disasters arising directly from earthquakes, cyclones, floods, droughts, or sea-level rise.
3.76 Index (0.31 = lowest risk, 56.71 = highest risk)
SourceYear: 2019Source: World Risk Index
UV index
International standard measurement of the strength of sunburn-producing ultraviolet radiation
7 Index (0 = "Low", 11+ = "Extreme")
SourceYear: 2019Source: NomadList
Maximum magnitude of the heatwaves
The Heat Wave Magnitude Index (HWMId) takes into account both heatwave duration and intensity. HWMId is defined as the maximum magnitude of the heawaves occurring in a year, where a heatwave is defined as the periods of at least three consecutive days with maximum temperature above the calendar 90th percentile centered on a 31 day reference period. Heatwave magnitudes are grouped into seven categories, ranging from normal (greater than 1) to ultra extreme (greater than 32). ≤1 Normal <2≤ Moderate <3≤ Severe <4≤ Extreme <8≤ Very Extreme <16≤ Super Extreme <32≤ Ultra Extreme.
6.3 Heatwave Magnitude Index (HWMId)
SourceYear: 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Average precipitation in 2014
Average precipitation in 2014 (cm)
123.87 Centimeters
SourceYear: 2014Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Percent change in average precipitation (1990-2014)
Change in average precipitation (1990-2014)
11.13% Calculated percent change between 1990 and 2014
SourceYear: 1990, 2014Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Average temperature in 2014 (°C)
Average temperature in 2014 (°C)
13.27 Degrees Celsius
SourceYear: 2014Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Temperature change (1990-2014)
Temperature change (1990-2014)
0.2% Calculated percent change between 1990 and 2014
SourceYear: 1990, 2014Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Share of population living in high green areas
Percent of total population living in km2 designated as open space
45.71% Percent
SourceYear: 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre
Percent open space
Percent of total km2 of city designated as open space
65.65% Percent
SourceYear: 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European Commission Joint Research Centre

Public safety and health

91st
of 100 ranked cities
High
Priority level
<12 months
Project start
+33%
Anticipated investment change

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
ROI
Body cameras for police
Partial deployment
Small positive
Crowdsourced crime reporting
Planning
Data-based public health interventions
Planning
Data-driven inspections
Piloting
Drone technology for risk management
Not pursuing
Emergency notification apps
Piloting
Emergency response optimization
Piloting
Facial recognition software
Planning
First aid alerts
Piloting
Gunshot sensors
Piloting
Infectious disease surveillance
Not pursuing
Predictive policing
Planning
Real-time crime mapping
Planning
Real-time remote air quality monitoring
Piloting
Remote patient monitoring
Not pursuing
Real-time pollution data apps
Partial deployment
No/negligible return
Smart stations
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Smart surveillance
Partial deployment
Moderate negative

Baseline data

Crime index
Estimation of the overall level of crime in a city, with levels lower than 20 being very low, levels between 20 and 40 being low, levels between 40 and 60 being moderate, levels between 60 and 80 being high, and levels higher than 80 being very high
59.32 Index
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Crime perception
Crime Perception is an index that measures the belief that crime has gotten worse over the last three years. Low values (0 to 20) indicate an overall perception consensus that crime has not gotten worse in recent years. High values (80 to 100) indicate an overall perception consensus that crime has gotten worse in recent years.
60.5 Scale out of 100
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Homicide rate per 100,000 citizens
Rate of homicides for every 100,000 residents
17.38 Homicides per 100,000 citizens
SourceYear: 2016Source: Homicide Monitor
Surveillance cameras per 1,000 people
Number of Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) surveillance cameras for every 1,000 residents
0.46 Cameras per 1,000 people
SourceYear: -Source: https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/city-to-have-more-5000-cctv-cameras-for-surveillance/articleshow/67682846.cms
Guns per capita (US data is city specific; country otherwise)
The number of guns for every resident
129 Guns per resident
SourceYear: 2016Source: Teleport Cities, State level data
Gun deaths per 100,000 citizens
Number of fatalities due to guns for every 100,000 residents (US-specific, country otherwise)
11.36 Deaths per 100,000 people
SourceYear: 2016Source: Teleport Cities, State level data
Hospital score
User- reported quality of local hospitals rated from 0 to 5
3.83/5 Score
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Life expectancy
The life expectancy of residents in years
78.5 Years
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Birth rate (national)
The number of live births per thousand of population per year
1.87 Live births per 1,000 residents
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Percent population that smokes (national)
The share of residents that smoke out of the whole population at the country level
17.2% Percent
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Obesity, BMI over 30 (US city-specific, country otherwise)
Average body mass index (BMI) of residents. BMI is weight divided by height and is used to measure obesity. A BMI of 18.5 or less is underweight, 18.5 to 24.99 is normal, 25 to 29.99 is overweight, and 30 and above is obese
30.3 BMI
SourceYear: 2016Source: 500 Cities

Mobility and transportation

77th
of 100 ranked cities
Very high
Priority level
<12 months
Project start
+50%
Anticipated investment change

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
ROI
Bike lanes/bike traffic signals
Planning
Congestion charging/usage-based charging
Planning
Curb management/curb pricing
Piloting
Digital public transit payment system
Piloting
Mobility as a service (MaaS) app/integrated multimodal information
Piloting
Open-loop payment system
Planning
Parcel load pooling/smart parcel distribution
Planning
Predictive maintenance of transportation infrastructure
Not pursuing
Public electric vehicle charging stations
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Real-time public transportation app/information
Planning
Real-time traffic management system
Planning
Reducing parking minimums
Piloting
Smart parcel lockers
Planning
Smart parking app
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Intelligent traffic signals
Piloting
Vehicle to infrastructure connectivity (V2X)
Piloting

Baseline data

Monthly public transportation pass price
Cost (USD) for monthly public transit pass
$96 USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Annual metro/light rail ridership
Total number of passengers (in millions) on metro and/or light rail public transit
107 Millions of people
SourceYear: 2014Source: World Metro Database
Average public transportation wait time (selected cities)
Average amount of time (in minutes) passengers wait for public transportation to arrive
16 Minutes
SourceYear: 2019Source: Moovit Insights
Congestion index
Composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, CO2 consumption estimation in traffic, and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system. A high index indicates traffic congestion is a significant issue the city. (Lowest index value = 76.02, Highest index value = 285.87, Average index value = 164.60).
191.01 Index
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Average hours lost in congestion
Estimated time lost (in hours) in congestion per year based on typical commute trip length (in hours) and the number of trips a typical commuter makes per year
112 Hours
SourceYear: 2018Source: Inrix 2018 Scorecard
Average price of gas (1L)
Average cost (USD) for 1L of gasoline
$0.79 USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Number of electric vehicle charging stations
Estimated number of electric vehicle charging stations in and immediately surrounding the city
122 Number of stations
SourceYear: 2018Source: USDOT
Number of traffic-related deaths per 100,000 residents
Number of fatalities due to traffic events for every 100,000 residents
5.95 Deaths per 100,000 residents
SourceYear: 2017Source: NHTSA 2017
Number of bike share stations
Number of bike share stations in a city
131 Number of stations
SourceYear: 2019Source: OBrien Bikeshare Map
Number of bike share docks
Number of bike share docks in a city
2,642 Number of docks
SourceYear: 2019Source: OBrien Bikeshare Map
Over the year percent change in ride sharing users (country level)
Change in active paying customers (or accounts) year-over-year at the country level
13.2% Percentage
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Number of ride sharing users (country level)
Number of active paying customers (or accounts) (in millions) per country of ride share platforms, such as private vehicle ride sharing (e.g. Uber), taxis offering service through an application (e.g. myTaxi), online platforms offering shared rides with other passengers (e.g. Moia), and ride share services that require online checkout
66.1 Millions of people
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Over the year percent change in ride sharing revenue (country level)
Change in forecasted revenue year-over-year at the country level
14.4% Percent
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Ride sharing revenue (country level)
Forecasted revenue (USD millions) at the country level
$49,598 USD millions
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Ride sharing user penetration (country level)
The share of active paying customers (or accounts) from the total population at the country level
20.1% Percent
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista

Energy and water

76th
of 100 ranked cities
Low
Priority: Energy
Medium
Priority: Water
<12 months
Project start
+50%
Anticipated investment change

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
ROI
Dynamic electricity pricing
Planning
Energy consumption tracking for user
Piloting
Gamified energy reduction platforms/programs
Piloting
Microgrids/distributed generation
Planning
Predictive maintenance planning for water and sewer infrastructure
Planning
Programs to encourage the adoption of building/home automation systems
Planning
Renewable/clean energy
Planning
Smart electricity grid
Partial deployment
Small positive
Smart electricity meters
Piloting
Smart street lighting
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Smart water meters
Partial deployment
Small positive
Water consumption tracking for users
Piloting
Water network realtime data monitoring system
Planning

Baseline data

Domestic water consumption
Water consumption in liters per person per day
170 Liters per person
SourceYear: 2015Source: Water Use Data for Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/water_use?
Water tariff per 100 m3
Price of water per 100 m3 in USD
Price of water per 100 m3 in USD
SourceYear: Source:
Water pollution
Crowd-sourced data on city resident's perception of the cleanliness of their water supply
54.17 Index (0 = low pollution, 100 = high pollution)
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Percent non-revenue water
Percent of non-revenue water in the city
41.1% Percentage
SourceYear: 2015Source: American Water Works Association
Drinking water quality and accessibility
Water quality perception index is an index that measures the perception of water quality and accessibility within the city. Water quality perceptions lower than 20 indicate a very poor perception of water quality, between 20 and 40 indicate poor water quality, between 40 and 60 indicate acceptable water quality, between 60 and 80 indicate good water quality, and over 80 indicate very good water quality.
68.27 Perceived Index (0 = low water quality, 100 = high water quality)
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Night time light emissions (light pollution)
Average night time light emission calculated within the Urban Centre spatial domain, expressed in nano-watt per steradian per square centimeter
35.99 Nano-watt per steradian per square centimeter
SourceYear: 2015Source: GHS Urban Centre Database 2015, European CommissionJoint Research Centre
Price of electricty per kWh cost
Price of electricty per kWh cost
$15.6 USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Energy generation mix: % renewable
Energy generation, percent renewable (biomass, solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal)
3% Percentage
SourceYear: 2017Source: CDP Worldwide
Energy generation mix: % fossil fuel
Energy generation, percent nonrenewable (gas, oil, coal, and nuclear)
96.3% Percentage
SourceYear: 2017Source: CDP Worldwide
Electricity usage per capita (country level)
Electricity usage per capita (country level)
12,071 kilowatt hours (kWh) per person
SourceYear: 2019Source: Batchgeo, "Mapping the Most Electricity Use by Country"

Technology and IT infrastructure

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
Analyzing data: Using advanced analytics and technologies
Stage 3
Collecting data: Gathering high volumes of data through advanced technologies such as IoT sensors, artificial intelligence, wearables, and drones
Stage 2
Extracting value from data: Using data to constantly improve the operations of the city
Stage 2
Integrating data: Combining multiple types of data across internal and external sources
Stage 2
Making data accessible and usable—Making data widely available to stakeholders in a user-friendly way
Stage 3
Managing data: Using advanced systems, such as a data management warehouse or data lakes, to manage data
Stage 3
Monetizing data: Creating fee-generating services offered by my city or its partners
Stage 2
Predicting trends from data: Using data to forecast future trends and impacts
Stage 1
Protecting data: Putting robust measures in place to safeguard data and ensure data privacy
Stage 1

Baseline data

Internet speed in the city
Internet speed measured in megabits per second (Mbps)
65 Megabits per second. Data is collected from internet speed testing websites, internet service providers, and public internet speed datasets for each city. For most cities, over 1,000 samples are analyzed.
SourceYear: 2019Source: Nomadlist
Price of internet
Monthly price for internet (60 megabits per second or more, unlimited data, cable)
$68.85 USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Numbeo
Percent of households with internet access in the city
Percent of households with internet access in the city
74.4% Pecentage
SourceYear: ACS 2013-2017 estimateSource: US Census Bureau
Availability of 5G
Availability of fifth-generation cellular networks, or 5G. Commercial: "A 5G network is present and devices are available for consumers to purchase and use." Limited: "A 5G network is present but devices are limited to select consumers." Pre-release: “5G network hardware is in place but is currently in testing and/or not yet accessible to consumers.”
No availability Level of availability
SourceYear: 2019, Data as of SeptemberSource: Ookla 5G Map
Percent of city covered by public Wi-FI
Area covered by public Wi-Fi network
60% Percentage
SourceYear: 2019Source: Hyperconnected Cities Survey

Procurement methods

  • Buy the technology
  • Develop/operate systems internally

Areas of city using advanced technologies

  • Mobility and transportation
  • Payment and financial systems
  • Talent and education

Governance and finance

87th
of 100 ranked cities
Medium
Priority level
<12 months
Project start
+67%
Anticipated investment change

Current initiatives

Initiative
Progress
ROI
"Just-in-time" civil service
Piloting
Data-based policy enforcement
Piloting
Data-based policy making
Piloting
Digital business licensing and permitting
Planning
Digital citizen services
Partial deployment
Small positive
Digital land-use and building permitting
Piloting
Digital payments
Partial deployment
Moderate positive
Digital tax filing
Planning
Distributed government
Piloting

Baseline Data

Number of mobile POS payment users (country)
Number of mobile POS payment users by country
29 Millions of users
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
User penetration rate of mobile POS payment systems (country)
User penetration rate of mobile POS payment systems by country
8.82% Percentage
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Transaction value of all mobile POS payments (country)
Transaction value of all mobile POS payments by country
$87,040 M million USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Digital commerce users (country)
Digital commerce users by country
270.1 M Millions of people
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
User penetration rate of digital commerce (country)
User penetration rate of digital commerce by country
82.08% Percentage
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
Transaction value of all digital commerce (country)
Transaction value of all digital commerce by country
$874,424 M USD
SourceYear: 2019Source: Statista
City data portal
The city has an open data portal available
No
SourceYear: 2019Source: Hyperconnected Cities Survey
City mobile app
The city has a mobile app
Yes
SourceYear: 2019Source: Hyperconnected Cities Survey
Citizen satisfaction surveys
The city conducts citizen satisfaction surveys
No
SourceYear: 2019Source: Hyperconnected Cities Survey