Each row shows where Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

α Absolute mobility 53rd percentile

this county national median

34.13 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 66th percentile

this county national median

0.35 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 53rd percentile

this county national median

The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

α Absolute mobility 54th percentile

this county national median

37.93 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 60th percentile

this county national median

0.35 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 90th percentile

this county national median

13.35 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

α Absolute mobility 21st percentile

this county national median

53.21 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 70th percentile

this county national median

0.46 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 65th percentile

this county national median

-6.91 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The value of housing assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 34th percentile

this county national median

36.35 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 86th percentile

this county national median

0.40 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 74th percentile

this county national median

1.66 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The total value of all assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 35th percentile

this county national median

38.11 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 91st percentile

this county national median

0.38 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 87th percentile

this county national median

9.73 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

County	State	α (absolute mobility)	β (persistence)	δ (extensive margin)	n
Bucks	PA	43.60	0.346	12.07	6400
Burlington	NJ	38.00	0.373	12.11	4300
Camden	NJ	33.53	0.432	3.43	4800
Cecil	MD	34.52	0.388	14.57	1000
Chester	PA	40.23	0.382	8.73	4700
Delaware	PA	40.20	0.371	10.99	5500
Gloucester	NJ	39.48	0.349	10.61	3000
Montgomery	PA	42.56	0.368	14.05	7400
New Castle	DE	33.06	0.439	12.83	4300
Philadelphia	PA	34.15	0.369	5.44	10500
Salem	NJ	33.99	0.385	4.75	1000

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

The five lenses at a glance