Delaware Valley

Information about Delaware Valley

Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington

Common name: Delaware Valley
Largest city
Other cities		Philadelphia
Camden & Wilmington
Population Ranked 5th in the U.S.
 - Total5,826,742 (2006 est.)
 - Density1,138 /sq. mi. 
439 /km
Area5,118 sq. mi.
13,256 km
State(s)  - Pennsylvania
 - New Jersey
 - Delaware
 - Maryland
Elevation  
 - Highest pointN/A feet (N/A m)
 - Lowest point0 feet (0 m)


The Delaware Valley is the name of the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia in the United States. The region is named for the Delaware River which flows through it. The Office of Management and Budget officially defines the region as the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metropolitan area.

The Delaware Valley is composed of several counties in Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and contains a population of 5.8 million (as of the 2006 Census Bureau estimate). Philadelphia, being the region's major commercial, cultural, and industrial center, maintains a rather large sphere of influence that affects those counties that immediately surround it. The majority of the region's populace reside in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States[1] and is located towards the southern end of the BosWash megalopolis, the name given for a group of metropolitan areas in the northeastern United States, extending from Boston to Washington, D.C.

Based on commuter flows, a wider labor market region known as the Philadelphia–Camden–Vineland combined statistical area (CSA) is additionally defined. This wider region adds the metropolitan areas of Vineland and Reading and has a total population of 6.3 million.

Despite the area's size and dominance in 4 states, no state capitals are within the Delaware Valley (Philadelphia) Metropolitan Area. Trenton, the capital of New Jersey, is on the Delaware River and was formerly part of the Delaware Valley, but since 2000 has officially been part of the New York Metro Area.

Character

The area has extensive suburban sprawl. King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey are two of the largest suburban edge cities. Philadelphia's suburbs contain a high concentration of malls including the King of Prussia Mall, the largest on the East Coast and the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the first enclosed mall on the East Coast. Malls, office complexes, strip shopping plazas, expressways, and tract housing are common sites, and more and more are continued to be constructed as these replace rolling countryside, farms, woods, and wetlands. However, recent opposition made by residents and political officials, many acres of land have been preserved throughout the Delaware Valley. Older small towns and large boroughs such as Norristown, Jenkintown and West Chester remain while engulfed in suburbia. The fastest growing counties are Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Gloucester. Many of the counties outside the metropolitan area are also experiencing rapid growth, such as Lancaster County, Lehigh County, Northampton County, and Berks County. South Jersey is experiencing faster growth than the rest of the state.

Population change

The Delaware Valley lost population in the 1970s, but has since rebounded. After each passing decade, the population increases more. It is predicted that the region will grow by as much as 10% from 2000 to 2010, which is faster than the national average. The area boasts safe, prospering suburbs and cities, cleaner air than most metropolitan areas, and cultural and ethnic enclaves. The area boasts a large influx of foreign born residents, hailing from many countries across Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

Counties making up the Delaware Valley

Delaware

Maryland

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Primary Cities

Counties Adjacent to the Delaware Valley

The counties listed below are not physically or officially part of the Delaware Valley, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, these counties have seen increased growth and growing links to the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and the Delaware Valley in recent years. This trend is due to increased economic trade and transportation links to the Delaware Valley. In recent decades, there has also been a rapid trend of out migration from Philadelphia and its suburbs by commuters and others seeking lower housing prices and a lower cost of living, further linking these counties with the greater Philadelphia area.

While unlikely in the near future, it is not impossible to assume that some of these counties will one day be considered part of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and the Delaware Valley if rapid population and economic growth continues. For example, Berks County, which long bordered the Delaware Valley, was recently added to the metropolitan area by the U.S. Census in 2005. Lehigh and Northampton County continue to remain distinct, since they receive more migrants from the New York City metropolitan area than the Delaware Valley.

In contrast, Mercer County, New Jersey had formerly been part of the Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area. However, it was redesignated as part of the New York Metropolitan Area in 2000.

Delaware

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Transportation

Many residents commute to jobs in Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, and increasingly as far as New York City, with the help of expressways and trains. Commutes from one suburb to another are also common, as office parks have sprung up in new commercial centers such as King of Prussia, Fort Washington, Cherry Hill, and Plymouth Meeting.

Commuter Rail

  • SEPTA Regional Rail
  • R1 Airport Route connecting Central Philadelphia with Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties and R1 Glenside route serving North Philadelphia and Montgomery County
  • R2 Marcus Hook/Wilmington/Delaware route connecting the Wilmington, DE area (with limited weekday service to Newark, DE), via Chester City and Delaware County and R2 Warminster route serving southeastern Montgomery County.
  • R3 West Trenton connecting Central Philadelphia northern to the Trenton, NJ area, serving Bucks County, PA between Jenkintown, PA and Yardley, PA, with the final stop in West Trenton, NJ. R3 Media/Elwyn (southern) route connecting Philadelphia to central Delaware County.
  • R5 Paoli/Downingtown/Thorndale route connecting Philadelphia with the affluent Main Line area and western Chester County near Coatesville and R5 Lansdale/Doylestown connecting Philadelphia with Lansdale in central Montgomery County and Doylestown in Bucks County.
  • R6 Norristown route connecting Philadelphia with Conshohocken and Norristown in Montgomery County and R6 Cynwyd route connecting Philadelphia with Bala Cynwyd on the Philadelphia/Montgomery County line.
  • R7 Trenton Route connecting Philadelphia to the Trenton, NJ, serving Bucks County and R7 Chestnut Hill East line connecting Central Philadelphia with Chestnut Hill area of city.
  • R8 Chestnut Hill West route connecting Central Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill area and R8 Fox Chase connecting Central Philadelphia with Fox Chase area in Philadelphia.
  • New Jersey Transit
  • Atlantic City Line connecting Philadelphia to Atlantic City, NJ with connections to PATCO Speedline in Lindenwold, NJ
  • River Line connecting Camden (NJ) to Trenton (NJ) running along the east bank of the Delaware River
  • PATCO Speedline connecting Philadelphia to Lindenwold, NJ in Camden County with connections to NJT's Atlantic City Line

Major highways

Airports

Colleges and Universities

Delaware

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Lexicon note

Some believe that the term "Delaware Valley" is subtly different than "Greater Philadelphia." "Greater Philadelphia" implies that the region is centered on the city in an economic and cultural context, while "Delaware Valley" is a more generic geographic term that doesn't imply that any part is of more consequence than any other. Several organizations, such as KYW Radio and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, consciously use the term "Greater Philadelphia" to assert their view that Philadelphia is the center of the region, and that the suburbs are only relevant as, in GPTMC's terms, "Philadelphia's countryside."

Many who work and live in the suburbs and rarely if ever visit the city don't agree and tend to use the term "Delaware Valley," which lacks the dominant city vs. dependent suburbs subtext.[4].

WPVI-TV uses the slogan, "The Delaware Valley's leading news program" for their Action News broadcast, since that program has led the ratings for news programs in the Philadelphia market for over 30 years.

The Delaware Valley is also sometimes called "the Tri-State area," referring to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

References

External links

 •  • [ e]
State of New Jersey
Trenton (capital)
Geography | History | Politics | Music | People | Demographics | Economy | Transportation | Media | Symbols | Municipalities
Regions Atlantic Coastal Plain | Central Jersey | Delaware River Region | Delaware Valley | Gateway Region | Gold Coast | Highlands | Jersey Shore | Meadowlands | New York metro area | North Hudson | North Jersey | Pascack Valley | Piedmont | Pine Barrens | Raritan Bayshore | Ridge‑and‑valley Appalachians | Shore Region | Skylands Region | South Jersey | Tri‑State Region
Cities Atlantic City | Bayonne | Camden | Cherry Hill | Clifton | East Orange | Edison | Elizabeth | Hackensack | Hoboken | Jersey City | Linden | Long Branch | Newark | New Brunswick | Passaic | Paterson | Perth Amboy | Plainfield | Princeton | Toms River | Trenton | Union City | Vineland
Counties Atlantic | Bergen | Burlington | Camden | Cape May | Cumberland | Essex | Gloucester | Hudson | Hunterdon | Mercer | Middlesex | Monmouth | Morris | Ocean | Passaic | Salem | Somerset | Sussex | Union | Warren
 •  • [ e]
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg (capital)
Cities | Politics | History | Geology | Pennsylvanians | State Parks
Metro areas Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton | Altoona | Erie | Harrisburg–Carlisle–Lebanon | Johnstown | Lancaster | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | Reading | Scranton-Wilkes‑Barre | State College | Williamsport | York-Hanover
Cities Allentown | Altoona | Bethlehem | Chester | Easton | Erie | Harrisburg | Hazleton | Johnstown | Lancaster | Lebanon | McKeesport | New Castle | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | Reading | Scranton | Wilkes-Barre | Williamsport | York
Regions Allegheny Mountains | Allegheny National Forest | Allegheny Plateau | Atlantic Coastal Plain | Blue Ridge | Coal Region | Cumberland Valley | Delaware Valley | Dutch Country | Endless Mountains | Happy Valley | Laurel Highlands | Lehigh Valley | Northeast | Northern Tier | Northwest Region | Pennsylvania Highlands | Piedmont | The Poconos | Ridge and Valley | South Central Pennsylvania | Susquehanna Valley | Western Pennsylvania | Wyoming Valley
Counties Adams | Allegheny | Armstrong | Beaver | Bedford | Berks | Blair | Bradford | Bucks | Butler | Cambria | Cameron | Carbon | Centre | Chester | Clarion | Clearfield | Clinton | Columbia | Crawford | Cumberland | Dauphin | Delaware | Elk | Erie | Fayette | Forest | Franklin | Fulton | Greene | Huntingdon | Indiana | Jefferson | Juniata | Lackawanna | Lancaster | Lawrence | Lebanon | Lehigh | Luzerne | Lycoming | McKean | Mercer | Mifflin | Monroe | Montgomery | Montour | Northampton | Northumberland | Perry | Philadelphia | Pike | Potter | Schuylkill | Snyder | Somerset | Sullivan | Susquehanna | Tioga | Union | Venango | Warren | Washington | Wayne | Westmoreland | Wyoming | York
 •  • [ e]
State of Delaware
Dover (capital)
Counties | Hundreds | Municipalities | Geology | Rivers |  |
Governors | Lt. Governors | General Assembly |  | U.S. Senators | U.S. Representatives
  | History |  |  |  |
Regions Atlantic Coastal Plain | Cape Region | Delaware Coast | Delaware Valley | Delmarva Peninsula | Piedmont 
Cities Delaware City | Dover | Harrington | Lewes | Milford | Newark | New Castle | Rehoboth Beach | Seaford | Wilmington
Counties Kent | New Castle | Sussex
 •  • [ e]
State of Maryland
Annapolis (capital)
Cities | Government | History | Congressional Delegations
Regions Allegheny Mountains | Atlantic Coastal Plain | Baltimore‑Washington Metro Area | Blue Ridge | Chesapeake | Cumberland Valley | Delaware Valley | Delmarva Peninsula | Eastern Shore | Piedmont | Ridge and Valley | Southern Maryland | Western Maryland | Western Shore
Cities Baltimore | Bethesda | Bowie | College Park | Columbia | Cumberland | Ellicott City | Frederick | Gaithersburg | Germantown | Greenbelt | Hagerstown | Laurel | Rockville | Salisbury | Silver Spring | Takoma Park | Towson | Waldorf | Westminster
Counties Allegany | Anne Arundel | Baltimore City | Baltimore County | Calvert | Caroline | Carroll | Cecil | Charles | Dorchester | Frederick | Garrett | Harford | Howard | Kent | Montgomery | Prince George's | Queen Anne's | St. Mary's | Somerset | Talbot | Washington | Wicomico | Worcester
 •  • [ e]
Philadelphia
Architecture · Companies · Culture · Demographics · Education · History · Language · Mayors · Media · Neighborhoods · Notable people · Region · Sites of interest · Sports
Flag
Seal
Nickname: "City of Brotherly Love", "The City that Loves you Back", "Cradle of Liberty", "The Quaker City", "The Birthplace of America", "Philly".
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City of Camden, New Jersey
Map of Camden in Camden County
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Camden
Settled 1626
Incorporated February 13, 1828
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City of Wilmington
City |



Flag |

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population is the collection of people or organisms of a particular species living in a given geographic area or mortality, and migration, though the field encompasses many dimensions of population change including the family (marriage and divorce), public health, work and the
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list (by population) of all metropolitan statistical areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau.

Population estimates are current as of July 1, 2006. Metropolitan statistical area names are current as of December 1, 2005.
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Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. The term Surface area is the summation of the areas of the exposed sides of an object.

Units

Units for measuring surface area include:
square metre = SI derived unit

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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Flag of Pennsylvania Seal
Nickname(s): Keystone State, Quaker State,
Coal State, Oil State
Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence

Capital Harrisburg
Largest city
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State of New Jersey

Flag of New Jersey Seal
Nickname(s): Garden State[1]
Motto(s): Liberty and prosperity

Official language(s) English de facto

Capital Trenton

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State of Delaware

Flag of Delaware Seal
Nickname(s): The First State, The Small Wonder, Blue Hen State
Motto(s): Liberty and Independence

Capital Dover
Largest city Wilmington

Area
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State of Maryland

Flag of Maryland Seal
Nickname(s): Old Line State; Free State
Motto(s): Fatti maschii, parole femine
(Manly deeds, womanly words)

Official language(s) None (English, de facto
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Flag
Seal
Nickname: "City of Brotherly Love", "The City that Loves you Back", "Cradle of Liberty", "The Quaker City", "The Birthplace of America", "Philly".
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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Delaware River

Delaware River above the Delaware Water Gap


Country | USA
States | New York,New Jersey,Pennsylvania,Delaware
Major cities |
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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is a Cabinet level and is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP) and is an important conduit by which the White House oversees the activities of federal agencies.
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urbanized area—a contiguous area of relatively high population density. The counties containing the core urbanized area are known as the central counties of the MSA.
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State of Delaware

Flag of Delaware Seal
Nickname(s): The First State, The Small Wonder, Blue Hen State
Motto(s): Liberty and Independence

Capital Dover
Largest city Wilmington

Area
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State of New Jersey

Flag of New Jersey Seal
Nickname(s): Garden State[1]
Motto(s): Liberty and prosperity

Official language(s) English de facto

Capital Trenton

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State of Maryland

Flag of Maryland Seal
Nickname(s): Old Line State; Free State
Motto(s): Fatti maschii, parole femine
(Manly deeds, womanly words)

Official language(s) None (English, de facto
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Flag of Pennsylvania Seal
Nickname(s): Keystone State, Quaker State,
Coal State, Oil State
Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence

Capital Harrisburg
Largest city
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Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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See also:


The BosWash (also referred to as Bosnywash, Boshington, the Northeast Corridor, the BosWash Corridor, or simply the Northeast megalopolis
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A megalopolis, or megapolis, is defined as an extensive metropolitan area or a long chain of roughly continuous metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada. The term was first used in the United States by Jean Gottmann in 1957, to describe the huge urban area along
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Boston, Massachusetts

Flag
Seal
Nickname: Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe), The Cradle of Liberty, City on the Hill, Athens of America
Location in Suffolk County in Massachusetts, USA
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Washington, D.C.

Flag
Seal
Nickname: DC, The District
Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All)
Location of Washington, D.C.
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Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area.[1] Residents of sprawling neighborhoods tend to live in single-family homes and commute by automobile to work.
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King of Prussia
Census-designated place |

Country | United States
State | Pennsylvania
County | Montgomery
Township |
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Cherry Hill Township
Location of Cherry Hill Township in Camden County
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Camden
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Edge city is an American term for a relatively new concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional urban area in what had recently been a residential suburb or semi-rural community.
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King of Prussia Mall
Mall facts and statistics

Location King of Prussia in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania,  United States
Coordinates Coordinates:
Opening date 1963
Developer The Kravco Co.
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Cherry Hill Mall, owned by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, was the first large indoor shopping center east of the Mississippi River in the United States, attracting busloads of visitors soon after its opening in October 1961.
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