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Friday, May 05, 2023

Get to Know Lower Merion Township, PA

Lower Merion Township Pennsylvania

Get to Know Lower Merion Township, PA

Are you looking for the best place to live in Pennsylvania? Lower Merion Township was the state’s only featured pick by Money Magazine. It excels in several areas, including health, safety, education, income, opportunities, and quality of life. This is where Kobe Bryant went to high school and where several top-tier and Ivy League-level universities are based.

This division of Montgomery County is right outside the Philadelphia city limits and includes several communities. Learn more about this part of the Philadelphia metro and find which township city or neighborhood might fit your lifestyle needs best.

What is a Main Line Neighborhood?

The communities in Lower Merion Township are considered part of Philly’s Main Line neighborhoods. This designation goes back to the 1800s when the Pennsylvania Railroad extended into the countryside and built station stops. It attracted Philadelphia’s wealthy families to build country estates. They would ride the “Main Line” to spend weekends and summers outside the crowded, dirty city. Naturally, the communities sprung up around the line’s stations and often adopted the station names for their village names.

Philadelphia Mainline Origins

Today’s modern Main Line still is home to many of the Philadelphia metro’s wealthiest people. Some of the nation’s most affluent zip codes are within the Lower Merion Township and these Main Line neighborhoods. The original neighborhoods are:

  • Merion
  • Wynnewood
  • Narberth
  • Haverford
  • Ardmore
  • Bryn Mawr
  • Overbrook

The communities have some common characteristics. You’ll find they tend to have a more dense, suburban feel. Many of the neighborhood’s shops, dining, and entertainment are clustered along Lancaster Avenue, the main commercial artery linking the modern Main Line.

As they are historic neighborhoods from the 1800s, you won’t find newer master-planned, grid-style communities. These are places built before elaborate city zoning. Streets weren’t necessarily built for automobiles, and the historic stone-wrought homes often lacked garages. But that’s part of Lower Merion Township’s charm.

What county is Lower Merion Township in?

Townships are divisions of Pennsylvania counties. Lower Merion Township is the southernmost in Montgomery County. Covering 23.64 square miles, it’s the largest county township. As the closest to Philadelphia, it’s the county’s most populated and reports the highest incomes, single-family homes, and white-collar plus professional workers.

The surrounding townships include Upper Marion, Whitemarsh, Haverford, and Radnor.

Inside Lower Merion are incorporated and unincorporated communities. We’ll run through most of these. Do note that the Borough of Narberth is a separate political entity. However, it’s surrounded by Lower Merion Township, and the youth are zoned for its district schools.

Merion

Zip Code: 19066

Some people break Merion into two sections, Merion Park and Merion Station, while others refer to the whole area as Merion Station. This family-friendly suburb is the final stop on the “Main Lane” before reaching Philadelphia. If you prize access to the city, this is the closest suburb you can get in the township.

This is a very historic part of Lower Merion Township, dating all the way back to 1695 when the Merion Friends Meetinghouse was established. This Quaker institution is still in use today. It has some incredible attractions, like the Merion Botanical Garden with its walking trail and peaceful creek, the original home of the Barnes Foundation and its art museum, and General Wayne Park. The township plans a 68-mile connected pedestrian path that will link Merion with neighboring towns and the Schuylkill River. Another local institution is Hymies Deli, which is in Merion’s shopping area on Lancaster Avenue.

Housing here is classically iconic. You’ll find historic properties with steep roofs and stone exteriors. Discover touches of Tudor and Mediterranean influences on the larger estates. Merion Park has a more neighborly feel with all the playgrounds, walking trails, and sports courts. Merion had 15 listings in May 2023, ranging from a $309,000 townhome to a $1.7 million single-family home.

Wynnewood

Zip code: 19096

Beautiful Wynwood is known for its tall, shady trees, beautiful historic stone-front at homes, and its highly walkable amenities. Wynnewood is spacious enough to be broken down into several areas, including Penn Wynne. Thanks to the SEPTA station, you can be in the Philadelphia city Center in about 20 minutes.

Wynnewood is a good place to look if you are looking for modern conveniences. Shopping and retail blend the in-demand big chains, such as Whole Foods, Petco, and Old Navy, with the local boutiques. You’ll find Panera Breads and one-of-a-kind dining restaurants.

Another perk is access to Lankenau Hospital, a highly-ranked medical center.

South Ardmore Park’s green spaces attract residents for a stroll around its greens on beautiful spring and summer days. The local families keep busy with its soccer, baseball, and basketball facilities all year round. Wynnewood Park is another destination for outdoor recreation.

Set on winding streets that work with the landscape, the old stone homes ooze character. The closer you are to the train station, the older and more historic the properties. Find pockets of charming old mansions in places like Indian Creek and Cape Cod-style homes in Shortridge Tract.

Wynnewood had 26 homes for sale at a median of $506,900 in May 2023.

Ardmore

Zip Code: 19096, 19003

Straddling two counties and townships, Ardmore is midway on the Main Line. Getting to Center City by car or rail runs about 30 minutes, so it’s still plenty close enough for work, school, or play. Niche.com ranked it Philly’s third best place to live because of its housing market, access to entertainment and retail, and public schools.

Suburban Square is both a historic and central feature of Ardmore living. Founded in 1928, it’s still thriving as a shopping destination offering high-end goods to local residents. Lancaster Avenue still has family-owned shopping, too, but Suburban Square’s pedestrian-friendly setup and selection of brand-name retail stands out. And for truly special finds, try the Clover Market held in the spring and fall to showcase and sell artisan goods.

Merion Golf Club is here (straddling Haverford), and some homes are along the fairways if you want golf course living.

On the Lower Merion side of Ardmore, the homes trend toward larger sizes, both on the lot and in square footage, and stone Dutch Colonial styles. Mature trees and wide front porches add to the colonial feel of Ardmore.

Haverford

Zip Code: 19041

Another community straddling two townships, Haverford is renowned for its leading liberal arts college. Around 1,500 students enroll in Haverford for a research-driven liberal arts education on a beautiful 216-acre arboretum campus. Locals are welcome to stroll the 2.2-mile nature trail.

Education is interwoven into Haverford’s community and its appeal. Besides the college, the prestigious and private Haverford School for boys is in this town.

Parks and open spaces are part of Haverford’s appeal. Bring ice skates to Veteran’s Park in the winter for the Skatium. Celebrate the community at Haverford Township Day, a popular event with art vendors, a parade, and live entertainment. And Merion Cricket Country Club has a long and storied history in the community as a sports and social club.

Lancaster Avenue connects Haverford College to nearby Bryn Mawr College. In between, it serves up a delicious selection of coffee shops, cafes, and ethnic cuisine. More shopping is available at Haverford Square, and Suburban Square isn’t far away.

The charming homes are available in stone and brickwork, with an overarching Colonial style. There were 104 homes for sale at a median price of $490,000.

Bryn Mawr

Zip code: 19010

Probably best well-known for its eponymous college, Bryn Mawr spans two counties and townships. Like nearby Haverford, education is woven deeply into Bryn Mawr’s culture. Besides its high-achieving women’s-only college, private schools like The Shipley School and The Baldwin School are equally highly regarded for their rigor and educational quality.

But Bryn Mawr has other community perks besides education. Some of the township’s oldest homes are here. Harriton House preserves and teaches traditions like beekeeping and blacksmithing. The stunning Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church is worth a visit for its beautiful architecture. And locals love the charming Idlewild Farm Preserve with its animals, walking trail, and family-friendly events.

Attend the Saturday Farmer’s Market at the train station for community events. The Twilight Concert series runs through the summer season.

The surrounding town landscape has winding roads and historic mill ruins beside gently flowing creeks. The stone and brick homes, Gothic architecture, and cluster-style homes add to their character. With a high concentration of colleges in the area, find a higher selection of townhomes and condos. As a note, some consider Rosemont a separate community from Bryn Mawr, but the two share a zip code.

Bryn Mawr had 72 homes for sale in May 2023, ranging from $195,000 to $6.5M.

Bala Cynwyd

Zip code: 19004

The first suburb you’ll hit on the Main Line is Bala Cynwyd, so if you need to commute into the city, living here would cut down on that travel time. First settled by Welsh Quakers, Bala Cynwyd still has throwbacks to its 18th-century charm while delivering the contemporary entertainment and shopping amenities appealing to us today.

Locals love the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, a paved path always busy with dog walkers, joggers, and bikers. The trail and old railway includes a bridge across the river so locals can access Manayunk and its fun downtown center.

As an added bonus, the southeastern edge runs along the City Line Avenue for even more access to name-brand shopping and dining choices, like Lord & Taylor, Olive Garden, and L.A. Fitness.

One popular neighborhood inside Bala Cynwyd is College Park, which uniquely features a wide, walkable street open to local traffic only. This section features traditional colonial stone homes.

Belmont Hills is another section. Built on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, the rolling hills are iconic in this northeast area, but the lots tend to be smaller and more dense.

Other parts have turn-of-the-century homes, spilt-level tract houses, and some newer construction homes.

Bala Cynwyd had 31 listings at a median of $600,000 for May 2023. Prices ranged from $150,000 to $1.7M.

Gladwyne

Zip code: 19035

Unincorporated Gladwyne isn’t on the Main Line train, but as one of the oldest communities, it’s still considered a Main Line suburb. It’s entirely inside the Lower Merion Township and was the first established village in the township.

The more spacious lots and beautiful countryside are ripe for equestrian estates. The Bridlewild Trails horse trails wind through the community, and they are open for walking, too. Riverbend Nature Center runs summer camps and other programs for the locals. And the Philadelphia Country Club, a historic golf club, offers social and sporting activities like an Olympic-sized pool, a bowling alley, and four dining rooms.

A visit to the Town Center feels like you’ve been transported to an English village. This vibe comes from its architecture and old-fashioned features. As a bonus, it’s a highly walkable community, from Rolling Hill Park to the old-fashioned drug store.

Gladwyne has 23 homes for sale ranging from $699,000 to $10 million. Median prices were $2.5 million.

Penn Valley

Zip code: 19072

Want to feel away from it all? This might be the place in Lower Merion for you. Spacious Penn Valley ranks the second-best place to live in the Philadelphia metro on Niche.com.

Penn Valley is so unique it has its own Civic Association overseeing the community’s character and culture. Locals get access to the 10-ten acre West Mill Creek Park, the township’s only off-leash dog park and home to a native wildlife garden.

Montgomery Avenue is the local destination for retail favorites like Wawa and Manhattan Bagels.

Homes trend towards residing on an acre and promise a more private feel with fewer sidewalks. And while it’s named Penn Valley, it’s not all rolling hills; there’s plenty of flat land, too. There are some condominiums and apartments overlooking the Schuylkill River and an estate. Penn Valley had 22 homes for sale at a median of $812,000 ranging from $192,500 to $2.2 million in May 2023.

Living in Lower Merion Township

Lower Merion Township PA

Main Line neighborhoods are renowned for their historical and classic character. So while you may not have master-planned communities, you gain a place that emphasizes beauty and quality living. The education quality is exceptional, and the easy commute to Philadelphia increases your employment opportunities. A local real estate agent can help you explore more of Lower Merion Township.

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Preston Guyton

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