Philadelphia is a large city and you shouldn't categorize the entire city based on this statistic.

pid=1579Houston Real Estate Highlights in November Single-family home sales fell 2.0 percent year-over-year, with 6,159 units sold;On a year-to-date basis, home sales are up 4.6 percent and on track for breaking 2017’s record performance when December data are compiled;Days on Market (DOM) for single-family homes was 60 versus 62 a year earlier;Total property sales were statistically flat, with 7,400 units sold;Total dollar volume rose 3.9 percent to $2.1 billion;The single-family home median price climbed 4.4 percent to $235,000, a November high;The single-family home average price also achieved a November record, rising 4.3 percent to $295,084;Single-family homes months of inventory reached a 3.9-months supply, up from 3.6 months last November, but below the national supply of 4.3 months reported by NAR;Townhome/condominium sales dropped 2.8 percent, with the average price up 9.0 percent to $213,043 and the median price up 4.5 percent to $165,000;Leases of single-family homes jumped 15.3 percent with the average rent down 1.3 percent to $1,743;Volume of townhome/condominium leases rose 0.6 percent with the average rent up 0.5 percent to $1,505.

Its simply too general of a statistic to really mean something to everyone investing in real estate.

I'm able to pull up a lot valid statistics, run my own valid comps (instead of free comps you get what you pay for- never again), AND because I only choose certain areas to invest in, the areas I don't hit up I become an investor friendly agent for those investor so therefore constantly making money.However, I don't recommend an investor to be and agent just to get comps it has to be another stream of income for you.

@Lynn Lewis Statisticly college graduates earn more than those that stopped with high school. 

Part of me really wants to pay those mortgages off, but I know statistically I could do better investing in the stock market/real estate. 

The houses there must all be huge if you are asking if ones smaller than that have any market appeal.Look at the market statistics.  

Interesting statistic(s) by Will regarding elections an the first year.

The statistic is accurate but misleading @Amit M.

In addition, school districts matter and avoid any area with high crime statistics.