No. Philadelphia is a city, not a state. It sits in Pennsylvania, the state whose postal code is PA and whose capital is Harrisburg. Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest city, which is the whole reason the two names get swapped.
| State | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| USPS code | PA |
| Capital | Harrisburg |
| Largest city | Philadelphia |
| Region | Northeast, Mid-Atlantic |
| Statehood | December 12, 1787, the 2nd state |
| Nickname | Keystone State |
| Electoral votes | 19 |
| Time zone | Eastern |
| Area rank | 33rd of 50 |
Why this question gets asked
Three specific things push people toward the wrong answer.
- Philadelphia once housed the federal government. The Declaration of Independence was adopted there in 1776, the Constitution was signed there in 1787, and the city served as the national capital through the 1790s while Washington DC was under construction. A place that hosted Congress reads like a top level unit rather than a municipality.
- Harrisburg is invisible outside Pennsylvania. This is one of the states where the capital is not the largest city, so the name people know from news, sports and flight boards is never the name on state government letterhead.
- The address line hides the state. Mail reads "Philadelphia, PA 19103", and a reader who does not know PA stands for Pennsylvania treats Philadelphia as the entire location.
The near answers people give instead
When someone realizes Philadelphia is not the state, the follow-up guess is usually one of these:
- Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania's other nationally known city, sitting at the opposite corner of the state. Also a city, not a state.
- Harrisburg. The correct capital, and the answer the quiz question was actually looking for.
- Pennsylvania Avenue. The street borrows the state name but runs through Washington DC, which sends some searchers to the District of Columbia.
The spelling encourages the mix-up too. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are both twelve letters long and both start with P, so in a crossword grid or a form field the eye accepts either one.
What Pennsylvania actually is
Pennsylvania ratified the Constitution on December 12, 1787, five days after Delaware, making it the second state and one of the original 13. Its nickname is the Keystone State and its motto is "Virtue, liberty and independence".
The state has no ocean coastline. Its only shoreline is on Lake Erie, which places it among the Great Lakes states rather than the Atlantic ones. The Appalachian Trail crosses it, and its 19 electoral votes make it one of the heaviest single prizes in a presidential election. Two US presidents were born in Pennsylvania: James Buchanan and Joe Biden.
One wrinkle: Pennsylvania is a commonwealth
Its official name is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia use the same wording. The label carries no legal difference from the other 46 states, but it is why official Pennsylvania documents often avoid the word "state" altogether, which keeps the question alive.
Filling in a form or a quiz
- City: Philadelphia
- County: Philadelphia County, whose borders match the city's exactly
- State: Pennsylvania
- State abbreviation (USPS): PA
- State capital: Harrisburg
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Is Philadelphia a state?
No, Philadelphia is a US city in Pennsylvania.
What state is Philadelphia in?
Philadelphia is in Pennsylvania.
What is the capital of Pennsylvania?
The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg. The largest city is Philadelphia.
Was Philadelphia ever the capital of the United States?
Yes. Philadelphia served as the national capital through the 1790s, before the government moved to Washington DC. It has never been a state capital.
How many cities does Pennsylvania have?
Pennsylvania has dozens of incorporated cities and towns. The largest is Philadelphia, followed by Pittsburgh. See all of Pennsylvania's major cities and facts.