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Delaware Valley

Coordinates: 39°52′37″N 75°19′23″W / 39.877°N 75.323°W / 39.877; -75.323
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This article is about the Philadelphia metropolitan area. For other uses, see Delaware Valley (disambiguation).

Delaware Valley
Greater Philadelphia
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Clockwise from top left,Wilmington, Camden, and Philadelphia
Map of the Lower Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area
Map of the Lower Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area
Country United States
State - Pennsylvania
 - New Jersey
 - Delaware
 - Maryland
Principal citiesPhiladelphia, Camden & Wilmington
CSA: Reading, Trenton, Atlantic City, Vineland, Hammonton, Dover
Area
 • Urban
1,981.4 sq mi (5,131.7 km2)
 • Metro
5,118 sq mi (13,256 km2)
Elevation
[1][2]
0 - 1,080 [dubious – discuss] ft (0 - 329 m)
Population
 (2013 est.)
 • Density2,746.32/sq mi (1,060.36/km2)
 • Urban
5,441,567 (5th)
 • MSA
6,034,678 (6th)
 • CSA
7,146,706 (8th)
 MSA/CSA = 2013, Urban = 2010
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EST)

The Delaware Valley is the valley through which the Delaware River flows. By extension, this toponym is commonly used to refer to the Philadelphia metropolitan area ("the [Lower] Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area"), which straddles the Lower Delaware River just north of its estuary.

Geography

In geology and geography, a strict sense of the term would incorporate the Delaware River's main drainage basin, and so encompass major tributaries such as the Schuylkill River and Lehigh River and their valleys or sub-basins. These extensions also apply culturally with decreasing degree gradually decreased by proximal distance because the ease of land travel enables a great deal of daily interaction; for example, the large number of commuters who travel daily 45–90 minutes creates cultural blends and parallel values.

The drainage basin of the Delaware River.


Population and economy

The Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area is located at the southern part of the Northeast megalopolis extending from Boston to Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas.

The Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area is composed of several counties in eastern Pennsylvania and southwestern New Jersey, one county in northern Delaware and one county in northeastern Maryland. The MSA has a population of over 6 million, while the CSA has a population of over 7.1 million (as of the 2010 Census Bureau count). Philadelphia, being the region's major commercial, cultural, and industrial center, wields a rather large sphere of influence that affects the counties that immediately surround it.

As of March 2011, the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD Metropolitan Statistical Area[3] constitutes the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States.[4][5][6] Its CSA ranks 8th.

Based on commuter flows, the OMB also defines a wider labor market region that adds Berks County, Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metro area bringing the total metropolitan population to 6.53 million.

Philadelphia's media ranks fourth, behind New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, in Nielsen Media Market size rankings. It also borders the New York metropolitan area located directly to the north of this area.

Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township and Delaware Valley College in Doylestown Township are named after the region. Likewise, Frenchtown's now defunct newspaper The Delaware Valley News was another example of the usage.

Counties making up the Delaware Valley

Delaware

Maryland

New Jersey

See also: South Jersey

Pennsylvania

Principal cities

The following metropolitan areas (MSAs), other than the Trenton MSA, are included in the Combined Statistical Area (CSA). While Trenton is considered part of the Delaware Valley and often considered part of Philadelphia's market area, it is considered part of New York's CSA. The principal cities in each MSA are as follows:

Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)[8]

Reading Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Vineland–Millville–Bridgeton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Atlantic City–Hammonton, New Jersey Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)[9][better source needed]

Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Ocean City, New Jersey Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Trenton, New Jersey Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Characterics

Sticker by the Delaware Valley's Lenape Indians in 2008 claiming West Philadelphia is their home.
Bassett's Ice Cream at Reading Terminal Market

The Delaware Valley is home to extensive populations of Irish Americans, German Americans, English Americans, Ukrainian Americans, Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Scottish Americans, Scotch-Irish Americans, Greek Americans, African Americans (over 40% of the city of Philadelphia's residents are black), Asians such as Chinese, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese, Armenians, Arabs and Turks, Indians and Pakistanis, Israelis (while American Jews form a significant ethno-religious community), Hispanics. Within the Hispanic population, the vast majority are Puerto Ricans, though other groups include Dominicans and Mexicans.[10] There is a significant West Indian community. There is even a small 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 5,000,000 square feet (460,000 m2) of office space, and at least 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) of retail. These are the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which is the largest in the United States (leasable sq. feet of retail space), and the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, which was the first enclosed mall on the East Coast. 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, Norristown, Jenkintown, Upper Darby and West Chester retain distinct community identities while engulfed in suburbia. The fastest-growing counties[as of?] are Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, and Gloucester. Upper Darby, in Delaware County is the largest township in the United States.[citation needed] Sometimes Reading is included in the Delaware Valley Metro Area. [citation needed]

Climate

The Delaware Valley has four distinct seasons with ample precipitation and is divided by the 0 °C (32 °F) January isotherm. Most of Philadelphia and the NJ portion, almost all of the DE and MD portions, part of Delaware County, and extreme southern portions of Bucks and Chester Counties have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa.) 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 Ski and Recreation Area in eastern Berks County and Spring Mountain in central Montgomery County.

Using the -3 °C January isotherm as a boundary, all of the Delaware Valley is humid subtropical except for portions of Berks County and higher areas of northern Chester County. The warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) only exists in higher areas of Berks where all monthly temperatures average below 22 °C.

Climate data for Philadelphia (Philadelphia Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1872–present[b]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 74
(23) 		79
(26) 		87
(31) 		95
(35) 		97
(36) 		102
(39) 		104
(40) 		106
(41) 		102
(39) 		96
(36) 		84
(29) 		73
(23) 		106
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 63.3
(17.4) 		63.5
(17.5) 		73.8
(23.2) 		84.3
(29.1) 		90.2
(32.3) 		94.8
(34.9) 		97.1
(36.2) 		94.8
(34.9) 		90.6
(32.6) 		82.6
(28.1) 		72.4
(22.4) 		64.2
(17.9) 		98.1
(36.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 41.3
(5.2) 		44.3
(6.8) 		52.8
(11.6) 		64.7
(18.2) 		74.4
(23.6) 		83.2
(28.4) 		87.8
(31.0) 		85.8
(29.9) 		78.9
(26.1) 		67.2
(19.6) 		55.9
(13.3) 		46.0
(7.8) 		65.2
(18.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 33.7
(0.9) 		35.9
(2.2) 		43.6
(6.4) 		54.5
(12.5) 		64.3
(17.9) 		73.5
(23.1) 		78.7
(25.9) 		76.8
(24.9) 		69.9
(21.1) 		58.2
(14.6) 		47.4
(8.6) 		38.6
(3.7) 		56.3
(13.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 26.0
(−3.3) 		27.5
(−2.5) 		34.3
(1.3) 		44.3
(6.8) 		54.2
(12.3) 		63.9
(17.7) 		69.6
(20.9) 		67.9
(19.9) 		60.9
(16.1) 		49.2
(9.6) 		38.8
(3.8) 		31.2
(−0.4) 		47.3
(8.5)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 10.7
(−11.8) 		13.7
(−10.2) 		20.8
(−6.2) 		33.0
(0.6) 		43.1
(6.2) 		53.2
(11.8) 		62.2
(16.8) 		60.3
(15.7) 		49.5
(9.7) 		37.1
(2.8) 		26.4
(−3.1) 		19.0
(−7.2) 		8.6
(−13.0)
Record low °F (°C) −7
(−22) 		−11
(−24) 		5
(−15) 		14
(−10) 		28
(−2) 		44
(7) 		51
(11) 		44
(7) 		35
(2) 		25
(−4) 		8
(−13) 		−5
(−21) 		−11
(−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.13
(80) 		2.75
(70) 		3.96
(101) 		3.47
(88) 		3.34
(85) 		4.04
(103) 		4.38
(111) 		4.29
(109) 		4.40
(112) 		3.47
(88) 		2.91
(74) 		3.97
(101) 		44.11
(1,120)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 7.1
(18) 		8.4
(21) 		3.6
(9.1) 		0.3
(0.76) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		3.5
(8.9) 		23.1
(59)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.0 9.7 10.9 10.9 11.0 10.3 10.1 8.9 9.3 9.1 8.6 11.0 120.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 4.1 3.8 2.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.8 12.0
Average relative humidity (%) 66.2 63.6 61.7 60.4 65.4 67.8 69.6 70.4 71.6 70.8 68.4 67.7 67.0
Average dew point °F (°C) 19.8
(−6.8) 		21.0
(−6.1) 		28.6
(−1.9) 		37.0
(2.8) 		49.5
(9.7) 		59.2
(15.1) 		64.6
(18.1) 		63.7
(17.6) 		57.2
(14.0) 		45.7
(7.6) 		35.6
(2.0) 		25.5
(−3.6) 		42.3
(5.7)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 155.7 154.7 202.8 217.0 245.1 271.2 275.6 260.1 219.3 204.5 154.7 137.7 2,498.4
Percent possible sunshine 52 52 55 55 55 61 61 61 59 59 52 47 56
Average ultraviolet index 2 3 4 6 8 9 9 8 6 4 2 2 5
Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[14][15][12]
Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV index)[16]
Climate data for Philadelphia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average sea temperature °F (°C) 41.8
(5.5) 		39.9
(4.4) 		41.2
(5.1) 		46.7
(8.2) 		53.9
(12.2) 		66.3
(19.0) 		74.0
(23.3) 		75.9
(24.4) 		71.4
(21.9) 		64.2
(17.9) 		55.1
(12.8) 		47.7
(8.8) 		56.5
(13.6)
Mean daily daylight hours 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 15.0 14.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 12.2
Source: Weather Atlas [16]
Climate data for Atlantic City International Airport, 1991–2020 normals,[c] extremes 1874–present[d]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 78
(26) 		76
(24) 		87
(31) 		94
(34) 		99
(37) 		106
(41) 		105
(41) 		103
(39) 		99
(37) 		96
(36) 		84
(29) 		77
(25) 		106
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 63.5
(17.5) 		64.8
(18.2) 		73.2
(22.9) 		83.2
(28.4) 		89.3
(31.8) 		94.5
(34.7) 		96.9
(36.1) 		94.6
(34.8) 		90.1
(32.3) 		82.8
(28.2) 		72.7
(22.6) 		65.3
(18.5) 		98.1
(36.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 43.2
(6.2) 		45.8
(7.7) 		52.6
(11.4) 		63.3
(17.4) 		72.5
(22.5) 		81.5
(27.5) 		86.6
(30.3) 		84.8
(29.3) 		78.5
(25.8) 		67.7
(19.8) 		57.1
(13.9) 		48.1
(8.9) 		65.1
(18.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 34.1
(1.2) 		36.0
(2.2) 		42.6
(5.9) 		52.5
(11.4) 		61.9
(16.6) 		71.4
(21.9) 		76.9
(24.9) 		75.0
(23.9) 		68.4
(20.2) 		57.1
(13.9) 		46.8
(8.2) 		38.7
(3.7) 		55.1
(12.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 25.1
(−3.8) 		26.2
(−3.2) 		32.6
(0.3) 		41.7
(5.4) 		51.4
(10.8) 		61.3
(16.3) 		67.2
(19.6) 		65.2
(18.4) 		58.2
(14.6) 		46.4
(8.0) 		36.6
(2.6) 		29.4
(−1.4) 		45.1
(7.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 6.5
(−14.2) 		9.7
(−12.4) 		16.1
(−8.8) 		26.7
(−2.9) 		36.0
(2.2) 		46.2
(7.9) 		55.9
(13.3) 		53.8
(12.1) 		43.5
(6.4) 		31.0
(−0.6) 		20.4
(−6.4) 		14.0
(−10.0) 		4.4
(−15.3)
Record low °F (°C) −10
(−23) 		−11
(−24) 		2
(−17) 		12
(−11) 		25
(−4) 		37
(3) 		42
(6) 		40
(4) 		32
(0) 		20
(−7) 		10
(−12) 		−7
(−22) 		−11
(−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.38
(86) 		3.23
(82) 		4.52
(115) 		3.32
(84) 		3.34
(85) 		3.58
(91) 		4.47
(114) 		4.59
(117) 		3.55
(90) 		4.14
(105) 		3.37
(86) 		4.47
(114) 		45.96
(1,167)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.7
(14) 		5.9
(15) 		2.2
(5.6) 		0.3
(0.76) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.1
(0.25) 		3.2
(8.1) 		17.4
(44)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 3.6
(9.1) 		3.1
(7.9) 		1.3
(3.3) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.9
(4.8) 		6.0
(15)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.8 10.4 10.9 11.4 10.5 9.9 9.9 9.2 8.5 8.9 8.9 10.8 120.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.0 3.2 1.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 8.9
Average relative humidity (%) 69.5 69.0 66.9 66.4 70.7 72.9 73.9 75.7 76.4 74.8 72.8 70.6 71.6
Average dew point °F (°C) 21.6
(−5.8) 		23.2
(−4.9) 		30.0
(−1.1) 		37.9
(3.3) 		49.5
(9.7) 		59.4
(15.2) 		64.8
(18.2) 		64.2
(17.9) 		57.7
(14.3) 		46.4
(8.0) 		37.0
(2.8) 		27.0
(−2.8) 		43.2
(6.2)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 150.8 157.9 204.5 218.9 243.9 266.2 276.3 271.3 227.6 200.5 147.4 133.8 2,499.1
Percent possible sunshine 50 53 55 55 55 60 61 64 61 58 49 46 56
Average ultraviolet index 1.6 2.6 4.2 6.0 7.5 8.5 8.6 7.7 6.0 3.8 2.1 1.5 5.0
Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[18][19][20]
Source 2: UV Index Today (1995 to 2022)[21]
Climate data for Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 39
(4) 		43
(6) 		52
(11) 		63
(17) 		74
(23) 		82
(28) 		87
(31) 		85
(29) 		77
(25) 		66
(19) 		55
(13) 		44
(7) 		64
(18)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 24
(−4) 		25
(−4) 		33
(1) 		42
(6) 		52
(11) 		61
(16) 		66
(19) 		65
(18) 		57
(14) 		45
(7) 		37
(3) 		29
(−2) 		45
(7)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.94
(100) 		2.87
(73) 		4.24
(108) 		3.85
(98) 		4.81
(122) 		3.61
(92) 		4.72
(120) 		4.34
(110) 		4.66
(118) 		3.35
(85) 		3.74
(95) 		3.80
(97) 		47.93
(1,217)
Source: Weather Channel [22]
Climate data for Reading, Pennsylvania
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 71
(22) 		77
(25) 		88
(31) 		97
(36) 		96
(36) 		97
(36) 		102
(39) 		102
(39) 		100
(38) 		92
(33) 		82
(28) 		77
(25) 		102
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 38
(3) 		42
(6) 		51
(11) 		63
(17) 		73
(23) 		82
(28) 		86
(30) 		84
(29) 		77
(25) 		66
(19) 		54
(12) 		43
(6) 		63
(17)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 22
(−6) 		24
(−4) 		32
(0) 		41
(5) 		51
(11) 		61
(16) 		65
(18) 		64
(18) 		56
(13) 		44
(7) 		36
(2) 		27
(−3) 		44
(6)
Record low °F (°C) −20
(−29) 		−8
(−22) 		−2
(−19) 		16
(−9) 		26
(−3) 		39
(4) 		46
(8) 		42
(6) 		30
(−1) 		20
(−7) 		8
(−13) 		−4
(−20) 		−20
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.92
(74) 		2.93
(74) 		3.56
(90) 		3.69
(94) 		4.03
(102) 		4.50
(114) 		4.67
(119) 		3.80
(97) 		4.42
(112) 		3.78
(96) 		3.44
(87) 		3.58
(91) 		45.32
(1,151)
Source: The Weather Channel[23]
Climate data for Dover, Delaware (1981−2010 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 43.4
(6.3) 		47.0
(8.3) 		54.9
(12.7) 		65.7
(18.7) 		74.7
(23.7) 		83.2
(28.4) 		87.0
(30.6) 		85.2
(29.6) 		79.3
(26.3) 		68.8
(20.4) 		58.5
(14.7) 		47.4
(8.6) 		66.3
(19.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 27.1
(−2.7) 		29.0
(−1.7) 		35.6
(2.0) 		44.3
(6.8) 		53.8
(12.1) 		63.4
(17.4) 		68.4
(20.2) 		67.0
(19.4) 		60.1
(15.6) 		48.7
(9.3) 		39.8
(4.3) 		31.0
(−0.6) 		47.4
(8.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.41
(87) 		3.07
(78) 		4.31
(109) 		3.88
(99) 		4.25
(108) 		4.00
(102) 		4.09
(104) 		4.36
(111) 		4.13
(105) 		3.42
(87) 		3.48
(88) 		3.65
(93) 		46.05
(1,171)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.6
(12) 		7.7
(20) 		.3
(0.76) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		.2
(0.51) 		2.9
(7.4) 		15.7
(40.67)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.1 9.6 10.0 11.3 10.9 9.1 9.3 8.6 8.3 8.0 7.9 10.3 113.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 2.2 1.9 .3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .9 5.3
Source: NOAA[24]
Climate data for Wilmington, Delaware (New Castle Airport), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1894–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24) 		78
(26) 		86
(30) 		97
(36) 		98
(37) 		102
(39) 		103
(39) 		107
(42) 		100
(38) 		94
(34) 		85
(29) 		75
(24) 		107
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 40.2
(4.6) 		43.5
(6.4) 		52.4
(11.3) 		63.5
(17.5) 		73.0
(22.8) 		81.8
(27.7) 		86.1
(30.1) 		84.2
(29.0) 		77.4
(25.2) 		66.2
(19.0) 		55.7
(13.2) 		44.6
(7.0) 		64.1
(17.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 24.6
(−4.1) 		26.8
(−2.9) 		33.6
(0.9) 		43.0
(6.1) 		52.6
(11.4) 		62.6
(17.0) 		67.6
(19.8) 		66.1
(18.9) 		58.2
(14.6) 		46.1
(7.8) 		37.4
(3.0) 		28.7
(−1.8) 		45.6
(7.6)
Record low °F (°C) −14
(−26) 		−15
(−26) 		2
(−17) 		11
(−12) 		30
(−1) 		40
(4) 		48
(9) 		43
(6) 		32
(0) 		23
(−5) 		11
(−12) 		−7
(−22) 		−15
(−26)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.01
(76) 		2.68
(68) 		3.92
(100) 		3.50
(89) 		3.95
(100) 		3.88
(99) 		4.57
(116) 		3.25
(83) 		4.32
(110) 		3.42
(87) 		3.10
(79) 		3.48
(88) 		43.08
(1,094)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.9
(15) 		8.3
(21) 		1.9
(4.8) 		0.3
(0.76) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0.4
(1.0) 		3.4
(8.6) 		20.2
(51)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.5 9.4 10.7 11.3 11.2 10.3 9.9 8.1 8.5 8.3 9.2 10.3 117.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 4.3 3.6 1.3 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 2.0 11.8
Source: NOAA[25][26]

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 Zuyd Rivier, or South River, and considered the lands along it banks and those of its 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 who re-asserted control in 1655. The area was taken by the English in 1664.[27] 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.

Transportation

Many residents commute to jobs in Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington 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

Formerly, the region was served by the Delaware Valley Railway.

Philadelphia's 30th St. Station has SEPTA Regional Rail and Amtrak service
  • SEPTA Regional Rail
    • Airport Line connecting Central Philadelphia with Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties.
    • Wilmington/Newark Line connecting Philadelphia to the Wilmington, DE area (with limited weekday service to Newark, DE), via Chester City and Delaware County.
    • Warminster Line connecting Philadelphia with southeastern Montgomery County and Warminster in Bucks County.
    • West Trenton Line connecting Philadelphia north to the Trenton, NJ area, serving Montgomery and Bucks County, PA between Jenkintown, PA and Yardley, PA, with the final stop in Ewing, NJ.
    • Media/Elwyn Line connecting Philadelphia to central Delaware County.
    • Paoli/Thorndale Line connecting Philadelphia with the affluent 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 connecting Philadelphia to Trenton, NJ, 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.
  • 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.
  • MARC
  • PATCO Speedline connecting Philadelphia to Lindenwold, NJ in Camden County with connections to NJT's Atlantic City Line.

Major highways

Schuylkill Expressway

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Delaware

Maryland

Delaware River Bridges

Ben Franklin Bridge
Philadelphia International Airport

Airports

Colleges and universities

Delaware

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

Culture

Sports teams

Further information: Sports in Philadelphia
Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies

Listing of the professional sports teams in the Delaware Valley

Media

Main article: Media in Philadelphia

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). Radio stations serving the area include: WRTI, WIOQ, WDAS (AM), and WTEL.

Area codes

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

Lexicon note

Some believe that the term "Delaware Valley" is not entirely a synonym for "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 does not 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 that Philadelphia is the center of the region, referring to the less urbanized areas as "Philadelphia's countryside".[29] Others note that the customary media usage of the term omits the majority of the length of the Delaware River's valley that is not in metropolitan Philadelphia.

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.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
  2. ^ Official temperature and precipitation measurements for Philadelphia were taken at the Weather Bureau Office in downtown from January 1872 to 19 June 1940, and at Philadelphia Int'l from 20 June 1940 to the present.[11] Snowfall and snow depth records date to 1 January 1884 and 1 October 1948, respectively.[12] In 2006, snowfall measurements were moved to National Park, New Jersey directly across the Delaware River from the airport.[13]
  3. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
  4. ^ The official climatology station for Atlantic City was at the Weather Bureau Office downtown from January 1874 to 15 June 1958 and Atlantic City Int'l (ACY) in Egg Harbor Township since 16 June 1958.[17] ACY's location in the Pine Barrens and distance away from the coast and urban heat island of downtown Atlantic City largely account for its markedly colder temperatures at night as compared to downtown; for example, from 1959 to 2013, there were 50 days with a low of 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower, while in the same period, the corresponding number of days at downtown was 2. The National Weather Service ceased regular snowfall observations at downtown after the winter of 1958–59.

References

  1. ^ "Welsh Mountain". Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  2. ^ "MyTopo – Welsh Mountain area". Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  3. ^ "OMB BULLETIN NO. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). Executive Office of the President -- Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2015. 37980 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area See also List of metropolitan areas of the United States and the sources there.
  4. ^ Thomas, G. Scott (March 7, 2011). "Houston 5th in metro population rankings, study shows".
  5. ^ Metro area populations (as of March 7, 2011), Business First, March 22, 2011.
  6. ^ Annual Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Estimates
  7. ^ a b c "OMB BULLETIN NO. 13-01" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c OMB BULLETIN NO. 09-01
  9. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf
  10. ^ "Dominicans in the Delaware Valley". Medgar Evers College. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  11. ^ ThreadEx; search for location= "PA - Philadelphia", variable= "Station thread"
  12. ^ a b "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  13. ^ Wood, Anthony R. "Snow total at airport gets a boost A new measuring station and technique likely contributed to two 8-inch-plus readings". Philly.com. The Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  14. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  15. ^ "WMO Climate Normals for PHILADELPHIA/INT'L ARPT PA 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  17. ^ Threadex
  18. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "Station: ATLANTIC CITY INTL AP, NJ". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "WMO Climate Normals for ATLANTIC CITY, NJ 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  21. ^ "Historical UV Index Data - Atlantic City, NJ". UV Index Today. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  22. ^ Average weather for Doylestown Weather Channel Retrieved May 12, 2008
  23. ^ "Climate Statistics for Reading, Pennsylvania". Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  24. ^ "Station Name: DE DOVER". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  25. ^ "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  26. ^ "Station Name: DE WILMINGTON NEW CASTLE CO AP". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 5, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ *Family Search.com: Map of Delaware Valley in 17th century showing forts & settlements with date of founding
  28. ^ "New Hope-Lambertville Route 202 Toll Bridge". Delaware River Joint Toll Brice Commission.
  29. ^ Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

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.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Delaware Valley.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Delaware Valley.

Template:USLargestMetros

39°52′37″N 75°19′23″W / 39.877°N 75.323°W / 39.877; -75.323

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