6
REGIONAL POSITION AND INFLUENCES
The Philadelphia Region
Montgomery County in the Region
The Philadelphia Region
Montgomery County, consisting of 62 townships and
boroughs and more than 800,000 people, is a diverse
and historic suburban community located directly
northwest of Philadelphia.
The county is one of five southeastern Pennsylvania
and four New Jersey counties comprising the
Philadelphia region, which is the sixth largest in the
nation. This region, with 5.6 million people,
functions as an interdependent metropolis that
competes with other cities around the globe. Other
Pennsylvania counties in the region include Bucks,
Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia Counties.
The Philadelphia region, located on the Northeast
Corridor between New York and Washington, D.C., is
a relatively dense place, with 1,512 people per square
mile. The region’s landscape is defined by its two
rivers - the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers.
All of Montgomery County’s neighboring counties
have completed comprehensive plans, and these plans
are generally consistent with
Montco 2040: A Shared
Vision.
What’s New
•
The City of Philadelphia is growing again.
Between 2000 and 2010, the city added over 8,400
people, reversing decades of significant declines.
•
Philadelphia has strengthened its role as a cultural,
entertainment, and tourist destination. Since 2000,
the city has added, rebuilt, or expanded many
attractions, including:
−
National Constitution Center, National
Museum of American Jewish History, the
Barnes Foundation, and the African American
Museum.
−
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
and other theaters on the Avenue of the Arts.
−
Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens
Bank Park.
−
The Independence Visitor’s Center and the
Liberty Bell Center on Independence Mall.
−
The Pennsylvania Convention Center, which
expanded by 60% to one million square feet.
•
The Philadelphia International Airport has
approved an ambitious expansion plan.
•
Deeper dredging of the Delaware River for the Port
of Philadelphia has begun.
•
Although Marcellus Shale and its natural gas are
not found in the Philadelphia region, the area could
be impacted by the gas industry and lower energy
prices.
•
Areas north and west of the region, particularly the
Lehigh Valley and central PA, have become
important distribution center locations.
•
The local food movement has started supporting
many farms in the area, particularly in Lancaster,
Berks, Chester, and Lehigh Counties.
