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The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan region on the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...
that comprises and surrounds
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
, the sixth most populous city in the nation and 68th largest city in the world as of 2020. The
toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''toponyms'' ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
Delaware Valley is therefore commonly used to refer to Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia metropolitan area, or the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. The Delaware Valley region includes portions of four U.S. states:
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, and four regions in Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, northern Delaware, and the northern Eastern Shore of Maryland along the central and lower
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...
. The Delaware Valley has a total 2020 population of 6.245 million, making it the seventh largest metropolitan region in the U.S. and 35th largest metropolitan region in the world. Philadelphia is by far the largest municipality in the Delaware Valley and serves as the region's major commercial, cultural, educational, and industrial center. Other major urban population centers in the Delaware Valley include the cities of
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...
, Upper Darby Township, and
Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
in Pennsylvania; Atlantic City, Camden, Vineland, and Cherry Hill in New Jersey; and Wilmington and
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...
in Delaware. The Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area is located in the Northeastern United States and forms part of the
Northeast megalopolis The Northeast megalopolis, also known as the Northeast Corridor, Acela Corridor, Boston–Washington corridor, or BosWash, is the world's largest megalopolis in terms of economic output and the second most populous megalopolis in the United Sta ...
, the most populated region of the nation with over 50 million residents. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Philadelphia metropolitan area has a
gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is of ...
of $431 billion, the ninth-largest among U.S. metropolitan areas. The Delaware Valley has been influential in American
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
and industry. The area has hosted many people and sites significant to American culture, history, and politics. Philadelphia is sometimes known as "The Birthplace of America", as both the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these pr ...
were drafted and signed in Philadelphia. The Delaware Valley was home to many other instrumental moments in the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, and Philadelphia served as the capital of the U.S. for much of the 18th century. The region is home to a number of globally-known and highly-ranked universities, including the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
in Philadelphia, one of the top universities in the world. Other regional universities and colleges include Drexel University, Thomas Jefferson University,
Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsy ...
, Saint Joseph's University,
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then calle ...
, Rutgers University–Camden, La Salle University, the
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 ma ...
, Stockton University, and others. Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley have become a
biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...
and
venture capital Venture capital (often abbreviated as VC) is a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which h ...
hub.


Geography

The Delaware Valley is geographically associated and proximate to the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...
's main
watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
, which encompass the Delaware River's two primary tributaries, the Schuylkill and Lehigh Rivers, and their respective valleys and sub-basins. These extensions also apply culturally because the ease of land travel in the region affords a great deal of daily interaction, creating a regional culture and value structure that largely blends and is parallel throughout it.


Definitions of the metropolitan area

In the course of their work, United States government agencies have reached various definitions of the Delaware Valley and the Greater Philadelphia Area. The
Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
(OMB) defines
metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
(MSAs), which are regions with relatively high population densities at their cores and close economic ties throughout their respective areas. MSAs are further combined into
combined statistical areas Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
(CSAs), reflecting commuting patterns. Neither is a formal administrative division.


Metropolitan statistical area (MSA)

Philadelphia is located in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes:(Note: Mercer County, NJ is NOT part of the Philadelphia CSA according to this original source.
"Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas", OMB Bulletin no. 18-04, The White House, Office of Management and Budget, September 4, 2018
/ref> * Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division **
Burlington County Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.
** Camden County ** Gloucester County * Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metropolitan Division ** Bucks County **
Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West Eng ...
** Montgomery County * Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division ** Delaware County ** Philadelphia County * Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division ** New Castle County, Delaware ** Cecil County, Maryland **
Salem County, New Jersey Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River and its eastern terminus is the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects the county with New Castle, Delaware. Its ...


Combined statistical area (CSA)

The Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area includes * The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA (eleven counties, as defined above) *
Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County (Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading. The Schuylkill River, a tributary of the Delaware Rive ...
, comprising the Reading, PA MSA * Kent County, Delaware, comprising the Dover, DE MSA *
Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.Cape May County, New Jersey, comprising the Ocean City, NJ MSA * Cumberland County, New Jersey, comprising the Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ MSA


Counties not in the Philadelphia metropolitan area

Some counties to the north of the Philadelphia MSA and CSA, such as
Hunterdon County, New Jersey Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 128,947, making it the state's 18th-most populous county,Delaware Valley Regional High School carry the name. However, Hunterdon County does not belong to the Philadelphia CSA, but rather to the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), part of the larger New York-Newark Combined Statistical Area (CSA).


Regional Planning Commission

The
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the metropolitan planning organization for the Delaware Valley. Created in 1965 by an interstate compact, DVRPC is responsible for transportation and regional planning in the greater ...
(DVRPC) serves all of the counties of the MSA above, except for the counties in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division. However the DVRPC does include, additionally,
Mercer County, New Jersey Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its county seat is Trenton, also the state capital, but also directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is included within the Federal Communications Commission ...
, which the OMB classifies as the Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA, part of the larger New York-Newark CSA.


Population and economy

According to 2016 estimates from the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area ranks as the seventh-largest MSA in the U.S. with 6,070,500 people. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA had a
gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is of ...
of $431 billion, the ninth-largest among U.S. metropolitan areas. 2016 Census Bureau estimates rank the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area as the ninth-largest CSA in the U.S., with 7,179,357 people. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area's population of roughly 6 million people is comparable to that of
countries A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state (polity), state, nation, or other polity, political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, so ...
such as
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...
,
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...
, and
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
. The MSA's nominal gross domestic product of $431 billion is comparable to
countries A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state (polity), state, nation, or other polity, political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, so ...
such as
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, and
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. The MSA also ranks as the second most populous in the Northeastern U.S. after the
New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...
, while the CSA is third-largest in the Northeast after the New York and
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
metropolitan areas. The Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, which is part of Northeast Megalopolis but is considered part of the
Southeastern U.S. The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
under Census Bureau definitions, is also larger than the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Philadelphia itself is the sixth-most populous city in the U.S. and the third-most populous U.S. city east of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
, after
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
. Philadelphia's
media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...
ranks fourth, behind New York City,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, and Chicago, in Nielsen Media Market size rankings. Educational institutions such as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township and Delaware Valley College in Doylestown Township are named after the region. Frenchtown's now defunct newspaper ''The Delaware Valley News'' was another example of the usage.


Subregions

Sixteen counties in four states constitute the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area. The five Pennsylvania counties in the MSA are collectively known as Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the four suburban counties from this region are sometimes called the "collar counties." Aside from Philadelphia, major municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania include the inner suburbs of Upper Darby Township and
Bensalem Township Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The township borders the northeastern section of Philadelphia and includes the communities of Andalusia, Bensalem, Bridgewater, Cornwells Heights, Eddington, Flushing, Oakford, Si ...
. Berks County, which forms its own MSA and contains the CSA's second largest city,
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...
, is generally not considered to be part of Southeastern Pennsylvania and is sometimes assigned to South Central Pennsylvania. The seven New Jersey counties in the CSA form South Jersey, although Ocean County, which is part of the New York CSA, is also sometimes considered to be part of South Jersey. Atlantic County, Cape May County, and Cumberland County each form their own respective metropolitan statistical areas. Atlantic City, Cape May County, and the southern Jersey Shore (including
Margate City Margate City is a city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Margate City's population was 5,317, a reduction of 1,037 over the previous decade.
, Ventnor City, the Wildwoods, and Sea Isle City) are major tourist destinations for people from inside and outside of the Delaware Valley. Other major municipalities in South Jersey include Cherry Hill and Camden, which is across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. The two counties of Delaware in the CSA constitute a majority of Delaware's land mass and population. Wilmington is the most populous city in Delaware and the fifth-most populous municipality in the Delaware Valley. The lone Maryland county in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area is part of the region known as the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Although Mercer County in Central Jersey is often considered part of the Delaware Valley from a cultural perspective, it is classified as part of New York's CSA by the OMB. Mercer County and three counties in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, Carbon County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County and Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Northampton County, are part of the Philadelphia media market. Caroline County, Maryland is also part of the Philadelphia media market, and other counties within the Philadelphia media market include Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Ocean County, New Jersey.


Components of Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area


Additional Components of Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area


List of largest municipalities

The following municipalities are all within the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area and part of the Delaware Valley:


Statistical history

When metropolitan areas were originally defined in 1950, most of the area now in the Delaware Valley was split between four metropolitan areas, or "standard metropolitan areas," as they were called. The Philadelphia SMA comprised Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania and Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties in New Jersey. The Wilmington SMA comprised New Castle County in Delaware and Salem County in New Jersey, while Berks County was the Reading SMA and Atlantic County was the Atlantic City SMA. In 1960, Cecil County was added to what was now the Wilmington Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). In 1980, Cumberland County was defined as the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSA. In 1990, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSAs were merged with the Trenton SMSA as the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the same time, Cape May County was added to the Atlantic City SMSA. "Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton" became obsolete one census later, with Trenton moving to the New York-Newark-Bridgeport CSA, and the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Vineland CSA consisting only of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden MSA and the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton MSA. Kent County became the Dover MSA in 2000, and it and Atlantic City were added to the Philadelphia CSA in 2010, for a total of six MSA components; as a result of new 2010 definitions based on a threshold of 15% labor interchange between MSAs, two more MSAs were added to the CSA, for a total of six. With Ocean City, NJ, and Reading, PA, the CSA is now known as Philadelphia-Reading-Camden.


Characteristics

The Delaware Valley is home to extensive populations of Irish Americans, German Americans, English Americans, Ukrainian Americans, Italian Americans, Swedish-Americans (which have a museum located at FDR Park in South Philadelphia), Polish Americans, Scottish Americans, Scotch-Irish Americans, Ulster Scot or "Scotch-Irish" Americans, Welsh Americans, Jewish Americans, Greek Americans, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Indian Americans, Russian Americans, Korean Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Armenian Americans, Arab Americans, Turkish Americans, Pakistani Americans, Israeli Americans, various African immigration to the United States, African immigrant groups, particularly from West Africa, including Nigerian Americans, Ghanaian Americans, and Sierra Leonean Americans, as well as East African immigrants, such as Ethiopian Americans; various West Indian American groups, including Jamaican Americans and Haitian Americans; and various Hispanic and Latino Americans, Hispanic American groups. Within the Hispanic population, the vast majority are Stateside Puerto Ricans, Puerto Ricans, though other significant groups include Dominican Americans and Mexican Americans, as well as significant populations from Central America. There is even a small Native Americans in the United States, Native American community known as ''Lenapehoking'' for Lenni-Lenape Indians of West Philadelphia. Philadelphia's suburbs contain a high concentration of malls, the two largest of which have at least of office space, and at least of retail. These are the King of Prussia (shopping mall), King of Prussia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which is the largest in the U.S. (leasable sq. feet of retail space), and the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, which was the first enclosed mall on the East Coast. In addition, the Christiana Mall in Newark, DE is a popular destination due to its proximity to Interstate 95 and because of the availability of tax-free shopping in Delaware. Malls, office complexes, strip shopping plazas, expressways, and tract housing are common sights, and more and more continue to replace rolling countryside, farms, woods, and wetlands. However, due to strong opposition by residents and political officials, many acres of land have been preserved throughout the Delaware Valley. Older townships and large boroughs such as Cheltenham Township, PA, Cheltenham, Norristown, Pennsylvania, Norristown, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, Jenkintown, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, Upper Darby and West Chester, Pennsylvania, West Chester retain distinct community identities while engulfed in suburbia. The fastest-growing counties are Chester County, Pennsylvania, Chester, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery, Bucks County, Bucks, and Gloucester County, New Jersey, Gloucester. Upper Darby, in Delaware County is the largest township in the United States. Sometimes Reading is included in the Delaware Valley Metro Area. Mid-Atlantic American English and its subset, Philadelphia English, are two common dialects of American English in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley.


Climate

The Delaware Valley has four distinct seasons with ample precipitation and is divided by the 0 °C (32 °F) January isotherm (contour line), isotherm. Philadelphia and the New Jersey portion of the area, almost all of the Delaware and Maryland portions, most of Delaware County and lower Bucks County, lowland southern Chester County, and some southern and lowland areas of Montgomery County have a humid subtropical climate (''Cfa'' according to the Köppen climate classification.) The remainder of the Delaware Valley has a hot-summer humid continental climate (''Dfa''.

Snow amounts may vary widely year-to-year and normally do vary widely within the Delaware Valley. The region has only two ski areas: Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Longswamp Township, Berks County and Spring Mountain Adventures in central Montgomery County. Global warming endangers skiing at the latter, where the climate narrowly remains ''Dfa'' and the owners have diversified to year-round activities. Using the -3 °C January isotherm as a boundary, all of the Delaware Valley is humid subtropical except for higher portions of Berks County. The warm-summer humid continental climate (''Dfb'') only exists in higher areas of Berks where all monthly temperatures average below 22 °C. The hardiness zone in the region ranges from 6a in higher areas of Berks to 8a in parts of Atlantic City and Cape May. Using the Trewartha climate classification system, which requires eight months to average at least 50°F for the climate to be considered subtropical, the region only has seven such months, so the areas considered ''Cfa'' by Köppen are oceanic climate, oceanic (''Do'') in the Trewartha system.


Colonial history

The valley was the territory of the Susquehannock and Lenape, who are recalled in place names throughout the region. The region became part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland after the exploration of Delaware Bay in 1609. The Dutch called the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...
the ''Zuyd Rivier'', or South River, and considered the lands along it banks and those of its Delaware Bay, bay to be the southern flank of its province of New Netherland. In 1638, it began to be settled by Swedes, Forest Finns, Dutch, and Walloons and became the colony of New Sweden, though this was not officially recognized by the Dutch Empire which re-asserted control in 1655. The area was taken by the England, English in 1664. The name Delaware comes from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, who had arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1610, just as original settlers were about to abandon it, and thus maintaining the English foothold on the North American continent. In the early 1700s, Huguenot refugees from France by way of Germany and then England began settling in the Delaware River Valley. Specifically, they left their mark in
Hunterdon County, New Jersey Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 128,947, making it the state's 18th-most populous county, * SEPTA ** Market–Frankford Line connecting 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Upper Darby to Frankford Transportation Center in Near Northeast Philadelphia, passing through Center City, Philadelphia, Center City ** Broad Street Line connecting Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia to Center City and NRG station in South Philadelphia ** Norristown High Speed Line connecting 69th Street Transportation Center with Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Norristown * PATCO Speedline, PATCO ** PATCO Speedline connecting Philadelphia to Lindenwold, New Jersey, Lindenwold, NJ in Camden County with connections to NJT's Atlantic City Line.


Light rail

* SEPTA ** SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines, Subway–surface lines: Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36, connecting West Philadelphia and Delaware County with 13th Street station (SEPTA), 13th Street Station, running at street-level through Delaware County and West Philadelphia, and beneath Market Street (Philadelphia), Market Street in Center City, Philadelphia, Center City ** SEPTA Route 15, Route 15 along Girard Avenue from 63rd Street and Girard Avenue to Richmond-Westmoreland Streets Loop, Richmond and Westmoreland Streets ** SEPTA Routes 101 and 102, Routes 101 and 102 connecting Media, Pennsylvania, Media (Route 101) and Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, Sharon Hill (Route 102) in Delaware County with 69th Street Transportation Center * NJ Transit Rail Operations, NJ Transit ** River Line (New Jersey Transit), River Line connecting Camden, New Jersey to Trenton, New Jersey, running along the east bank of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before ...
.


Commuter rail

* SEPTA Regional Rail ** Airport Line (SEPTA), Airport Line connecting Central Philadelphia with Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties. ** Wilmington/Newark Line connecting Philadelphia to the Wilmington, Delaware area (with limited weekday service to Newark, Delaware), via Chester City and Delaware County. ** Warminster Line connecting Philadelphia with southeastern Montgomery County and Warminster in Bucks County. ** West Trenton Line (SEPTA), West Trenton Line connecting Philadelphia north to the Trenton, New Jersey area, serving Montgomery and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, between Jenkintown and Yardley, Pennsylvania, with the final stop in Ewing, New Jersey. ** Media/Wawa Line connecting Philadelphia to central Delaware County. ** Paoli/Thorndale Line connecting Philadelphia with the affluent Philadelphia Main Line, Main Line area and western Chester County near Coatesville. ** Lansdale/Doylestown Line connecting Philadelphia with Lansdale in central Montgomery County and Doylestown in Bucks County. ** Manayunk/Norristown Line connecting Philadelphia with Conshohocken and Norristown in Montgomery County. ** Cynwyd Line connecting Philadelphia with Bala Cynwyd on the Philadelphia/Montgomery County line (limited weekday service) ** Trenton Line (SEPTA), Trenton Line connecting Philadelphia to Trenton, New Jersey, serving Bucks County. ** Fox Chase Line connecting Central Philadelphia with the Fox Chase area in Philadelphia. ** Chestnut Hill East Line and Chestnut Hill West Line connecting Central Philadelphia with the Chestnut Hill area of the city. * NJ Transit ** Atlantic City Line connecting Philadelphia to Atlantic City, New Jersey with connections to PATCO Speedline in Lindenwold, New Jersey. * MARC Train ** Penn Line (MARC), Penn Line connecting Perryville, Maryland to Baltimore and Washington D.C., and in the future will connect to SEPTA at Newark, DE.


Intercity rail

* Amtrak **''Acela'': high-speed rail connecting Washington, D.C. with Boston **''Cardinal (train), Cardinal'' connecting
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
with
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
**''Carolinian (train), Carolinian'' connecting Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, NC with New York City **''Crescent (train), Crescent'' connecting New Orleans and New York City **''Keystone Service'' connecting Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA with New York City **''Northeast Regional'': inter-city regional rail service from Virginia to Boston **''Palmetto (train), Palmetto'' connecting Savannah, Georgia, Savannah, GA with New York City **''Pennsylvanian (train), Pennsylvanian'' connecting Pittsburgh with New York City **''Silver Meteor'' connecting Miami with New York City **''Silver Star (Amtrak train), Silver Star'' connecting Miami with New York City **''Vermonter (train), Vermonter'' connecting Washington, D.C. with St. Albans (city), Vermont, St. Albans, VT


Bus service


Transit buses

* SEPTA * NJ Transit * South Jersey Transportation Authority * DART First State * Krapf Group, Krapf Transit *Bucks County Transport * Transportation Management Association of Chester County * TMA Bucks * Pottstown Area Rapid Transit * Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority * Cecil Transit * Atlantic City casino bus routes by a number of private carriers


Intercity bus

* Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach * BoltBus * Greyhound Lines * Klein Transportation * Martz Group, Martz Trailways * Megabus (North America), Megabus * OurBus * Peter Pan Bus Lines * Trans-Bridge Lines


Major highways

Pennsylvania * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Jersey * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Delaware * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Maryland * * * * Delaware River Bridges * New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge * Scudder Falls Bridge * Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge * Burlington–Bristol Bridge * Tacony–Palmyra Bridge * Betsy Ross Bridge * Benjamin Franklin Bridge * Walt Whitman Bridge * Commodore Barry Bridge * Delaware Memorial Bridge


Airports

Major: * Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), located 15 miles southwest of Center City Philadelphia, is the main international airport serving the immediate Delaware Valley Area * Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), while not in the Delaware Valley, is a major airport serving certain regions of the Delaware Valley, including Bucks County, Bucks, Montgomery County, the city of Philadelphia as well as New Jersey. Secondary: * Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) * Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) (not in CSA) * New Castle Airport (ILG) * Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) * Reading Regional Airport (RDG) * Trenton–Mercer Airport (TTN) (not in CSA)


Ferry

The Cape May–Lewes Ferry crosses the mouth of the Delaware Bay between Cape May County, NJ and Sussex County, DE. U.S. Route 9 uses this ferry.


Colleges and universities


Delaware

* Delaware College of Art and Design * Delaware State University * Goldey-Beacom College *
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 ma ...
* Wesley College (Delaware), Wesley College * Widener University School of Law * Wilmington University


Maryland

* Cecil College


New Jersey

* Rider University * Rowan University * Rutgers School of Law–Camden * Rutgers–Camden, Rutgers University (Camden) * Stockton University * The College of New Jersey


Pennsylvania

* Albright College * Alvernia University * Arcadia University * Bryn Mawr College * Cabrini College * Cairn University * Chestnut Hill College * Cheyney University of Pennsylvania * Curtis Institute of Music * Delaware Valley University * DeVry University * Drexel University * Eastern University (United States), Eastern University * Gwynedd-Mercy College * Harcum College * Haverford College * Holy Family University * Immaculata University * Kutztown University of Pennsylvania * La Salle University * Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), Lincoln University * Manor College * Moore College of Art and Design * Neumann University * Peirce College * Penn State Abington * Penn State Berks * Penn State Brandywine * Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Penn State Great Valley * Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine * Point Park University * Rosemont College * Saint Joseph's University * Swarthmore College *
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then calle ...
* Thomas Jefferson University *
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
* University of the Arts (Philadelphia) * University of the Sciences in Philadelphia * Ursinus College * Valley Forge Christian College * Valley Forge Military Academy and College *
Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsy ...
* West Chester University * Westminster Theological Seminary * Widener University


Culture


Sports teams

Listing of the professional sports teams in the Delaware Valley * National Basketball Association (NBA) ** Philadelphia 76ers * Major League Baseball (MLB) ** Philadelphia Phillies * Minor League Baseball (MiLB) ** Jersey Shore BlueClaws ** Reading Fightin Phils ** Wilmington Blue Rocks * National Football League (NFL) ** Philadelphia Eagles * National Hockey League (NHL) ** Philadelphia Flyers * Major League Soccer (MLS) ** Philadelphia Union * NBA G League ** Delaware Blue Coats * National Lacrosse League (NLL) ** Philadelphia Wings (2018–), Philadelphia Wings


Media

The two main newspapers are The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, owned by the Philadelphia Media Network. Local television channels include KYW-TV 3 (CBS), WPVI 6 (ABC), WCAU 10 (NBC), WHYY-TV 12 (PBS), WPHL-TV 17 (MyNetworkTV), WTXF 29 (FOX), WPSG 57 (CW), and WPPX 61 (Ion Television, Ion). Radio stations serving the area include: WRTI, WIOQ, WDAS (AM), and WTEL (AM), WTEL.


Area codes

* Area codes 215, 267, and 445, 215/267/445: The City of Philadelphia and some of its northern suburbs * Area codes 610, 484, and 835, 610/484: Southeastern Pennsylvania outside Philadelphia, including the western suburbs, the Lehigh Valley, and most of Berks County * Area code 856, 856: Southwestern New Jersey, including Camden, Cherry Hill, and Vineland * Area code 609, 609/640: Central and Southeastern New Jersey, including Trenton, Atlantic City and the southern Jersey Shore * Area code 302, 302: Delaware * Area codes 410, 443, and 667, 410/443/667: Eastern half of Maryland, including Cecil County * Area code 717, 717: South Central Pennsylvania, including Western Berks County


Politics

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
is heavily Democratic Party (United States), Democratic, having voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1936 United States presidential election, 1936. The surrounding suburban counties are key political areas in Pennsylvania, which itself is an important swing state in federal politics. South Jersey has consistently voted Democratic at the presidential level in recent years, although the region is slightly more Republican-leaning than North Jersey and has voted for Republicans at the state and local level. New Castle County's Democratic lean and large share of Delaware's population has tended to make Delaware as a whole vote for Democrats, while the less populous Kent County is more competitive. Recent well-known political figures from the Greater Philadelphia area include current U.S. President Joe Biden, former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and late former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter.


Congressional districts

The following List of United States congressional districts, congressional districts of the United States House of Representatives are located partly or entirely in the Delaware Valley CSA. ''Italicized'' counties are not part of the CSA. Additionally, the Delaware Valley is represented in the United States Senate by the eight Senators from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.


See also

* Central Delaware Valley AVA * Delaware Valley Railway *
Northeast megalopolis The Northeast megalopolis, also known as the Northeast Corridor, Acela Corridor, Boston–Washington corridor, or BosWash, is the world's largest megalopolis in terms of economic output and the second most populous megalopolis in the United Sta ...
* Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic states


Notes


References


Further reading

* Jean R. Soderlund, ''Lenape Country: Delaware Valley Society before William Penn.'' Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. * Mark L. Thompson, ''The Contest for the Delaware Valley: Allegiance, Identity, and Empire in the Seventeenth Century.'' Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2013.


External links


Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Delaware River Basin Commission
{{Coord, 39.877, -75.323, display=title Delaware Valley, Metropolitan areas of Delaware Metropolitan areas of Maryland Metropolitan areas of New Jersey Metropolitan areas of Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic states Northeast megalopolis Regions of Pennsylvania Regions of New Jersey Regions of Maryland Tourism regions of New Jersey