These 5 Pennsylvania areas are among America’s ‘most envied suburbs,’ analysis says
The most recent data on moving trends from United Van Lines shows more people are moving out of Pennsylvania than the number moving there. Outbound movers cite retirement and the desire to be closer to family as the most common reasons for leaving.
Still, when it comes to those who choose to make their home in the Keystone State, there are several suburbs in particular that are simply unmatched.
That’s according to Moving Feedback, which recently included five Pennsylvania places among its list of the 175 “most envied” suburbs in the nation.
To put together its list, the moving services company surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults for their preferences. Here’s a look at the five most enviable suburbs in Pennsylvania, which include several affluent communities across the commonwealth where homes regularly sell for millions of dollars.
Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Located in Allegheny County about a dozen miles northwest of Pittsburgh is the borough of Sewickley, a community with a history dating back to the mid-1700s.
Early on in its history, Sewickley was a site involved in several momentous historical events, from the French and Indian Wars to the American Revolutionary War.
Today, Sewickley is home to roughly 4,000 residents. The Sewickley Bridge, a steel truss structure completed in 1911, spans the Ohio River and is the standout element in the borough’s skyline.
In 2020, the median property value in Sewickley stood at $396,000. The median age there is 43, with a typical household income well north of $78,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures compiled by Data USA. For comparison, the median household income in Pennsylvania is $67,587, Census data show.
A search of homes for sale in Sewickley, listed on the popular real estate website Zillow, show they range widely in price from $275,000 on the low end up to $4.7 million.
Sewickley ranked 152nd on Moving Feedback’s list.
Manheim Township, Pennsylvania
Next on Moving Feedback’s list, ranking at No. 131, is Manheim Township in Lancaster County.
The county is likely best known for its Amish community, which is the largest in the country. Here you’ll find romantic covered bridges, Amish crafts and the local Antique District, all of which are a draw for tourists.
Originally populated by immigrant farmers hailing from England, Scotland, Ireland and Germany, the town itself takes its name from Mannheim, Germany.
Today, Manheim Township is home to some 43,000 residents. In 2020, the median property value there was $173,000 with a median household income of $61,318. The median age was 35.
Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill, a photogenic Philadelphia neighborhood defined by its leafy streets and Victorian-era homes, comes in at No. 107 on Moving Feedback’s list.
For tourists to Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill is a destination for its Morris Arboretum tree canopy walk among other attractions. Chestnut Hill is also known for nearby Germantown Avenue, which serves as the main thoroughfare between it and Mount Airy. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in Philadelphia and is a draw for its charming streetside shops and cafes.
Chestnut Hill’s population is small at about 6,600 residents. Of the five homes up for sale in the area, according to Zillow listings, prices range from $629,000 to $3.2 million.
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Most known for the Hershey’s chocolate founder it’s named after, Hershey ranks 72nd among America’s most enviable suburbs.
Just 15 miles east of Harrisburg, the community of Hershey got its start as a company town for Milton Hershey’s chocolate factory and its workers. Today, you can learn about the town’s history by exploring the Hershey Story Museum and its exhibits or just enjoy the rides and amusements at Hersheypark.
Hershey’s population is about 15,000, with a median household income of $61,948 as of 2020. The median property value in the area that same year were $248,000 and the homeownership rate at roughly 55%.
Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Returning to the Pittsburgh area, the borough of Fox Chapel was the highest rated Pennsylvania suburb on Moving Feedback’s list, coming in at No. 62.
Situated in the wooded hills north of Pittsburgh, the borough itself owns more than 300 acres of parkland, which has made Fox Chapel entirely residential apart from a few churches, private clubs and schools.
Here, you’ll find the lofty Shady Side Academy, a kindergarten through 12th grade prep school with the option of a boarding school experience in high school. Its alumni include Pulitzer Prize winning authors, NFL players, a Grammy-nominated musician, the current U.S. agriculture secretary and an actress on “The Big Bang Theory,” among other graduates.
With about 5,200 residents, the median property value in Fox Chapel in 2020 stood at $701,600. The median household income that same year was $233,776.
The half a dozen homes on the market in Fox Chapel range in price from $995,000 to $8.2 million.
