Your thoughts on West Chester? (Philadelphia, Downingtown: real estate, crime, houses)

[Sassygirl18]

I took a visit to West Chester the other day to check it out as a possible relocation area. I liked it a lot. From what I can see, the main downside to West Chester is the distance from Philadelphia and the fact that there is no train station there. I believe the nearest station is Exton (R5) which is about 6 miles away.

Does anyone have any comments/opinions about West Chester? What is the culture like there? What types of people live there? Are there "bad" areas? Driving around, it seemed like one side of town was a little more "iffy" than the other side. Any comments on the commute to Philly? How long does it take via car versus train? Is it horrendous?

If we moved to West Chester, we'd probably want a single home, so we'd be moving to the outskirts of town (i.e. outside the "borough"). Are there certain areas in the outskirts that are nicer than others (we prefer old architecture).

Any comments/opinions would be appreciated.

P.S. We're childfree so the school system is not relevant.

[rainrock]

There are a couple areas in the town itself that have older style architecture. Did you check out the area around the Unversity, there are nice single older homes in that part of town. Also on the North /northeast part of town there are lots of big victorians.

If you get a chance there are a couple of old historic communities with amazing older houses just to the east of West Chester, keep in mind though this area is very rural. Whitehorse Village,Sugartown, Goshen,edgmont,Willistown. Ride around the quadrant of RT #3(S) ,Rt 30(N) RT252(E) RT 352(W). Beautiful country.


The town of West Chester itself is definitely coming into its own. Its a town with alot of potential. Chester County is the 2nd or 3rd fastest growing county in PA(13%) and West Chester is the core of that county. It gets pretty energentic when WCU is in session. The few poorer sections of town are pretty harmless, there is no major crime in WC. The surrounding area is some of the most expensive real estate in the state.

You might also like the Media area which would put you 1/2 hour from the city as opposed to an 1 Hr if you are in West Chester.

Good luck

[orrmobl]

Its a great town - especially for families. If you're the childfree type that prefers less children, I would look elsewhere. Also there's the lack of public transportation in town and the distance to the city - long commute there. Lastly from your other posts I thought you wanted to spend less money on a house. West Chester's popularity among everyone, especially families, means you will definitely pay more. I looked there last year and for $300K we found about 3 houses. Granted, we were looking for 3 or 4 bedrooms, but you will definitely pay.

If I were you, I'd take a look at Media as its closer to the city, offers more of the architecture you're probably looking for and is more affordable.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by Sassygirl18

I took a visit to West Chester the other day to check it out as a possible relocation area. I liked it a lot. From what I can see, the main downside to West Chester is the distance from Philadelphia and the fact that there is no train station there. I believe the nearest station is Exton (R5) which is about 6 miles away.

Does anyone have any comments/opinions about West Chester? What is the culture like there? What types of people live there? Are there "bad" areas? Driving around, it seemed like one side of town was a little more "iffy" than the other side. Any comments on the commute to Philly? How long does it take via car versus train? Is it horrendous?

I've said it many times, but I'll say it again -- West Chester is an awesome, vibrant college town. The "iffy" areas are, as noted by rainrock, harmless.

As far as commuting, lots of people do commute from Exton (sadly, train service to and from WC was discontinued some time ago), which is definitely you're best bet. Driving into Philly from there during most parts of the day would be horrendous.

Chester County is one of the most, if not the most, expensive counties in the state as far as cost-of-living, however. A decent single home in and around WC with older architecture would cost $300,000 at the very least. For slightly more cheaper housing, you might want to consider Downingtown, which is also accessible to Exton.

[Sassygirl18]

Thanks for all the comments so far. I appreciate them.

What is cool about West Chester, at least from a first-timer's perspective, is that it seems to be an area that is simultaneously urban, suburban and rural. The center of town has an urban feel, the immediate surrounding areas are suburban and then you have these pretty rolling country landscapes in the distance. Very pretty.

I also like that the taxes are low - lower than any of the other towns I've checked out so far, and compared to my other favorite locales (Media, Wynnewood and Jenkintown), it appears you can get more house for the money in the WC area. Our budget is about $300-$325K and we're looking for a pre-1945 3-4 bedroom single home with 1600-2000 sq. feet and taxes lower than $4K/year. I also like that the lots in the suburban sections are spacious (comparatively speaking) and you aren't crammed right up against your neighbors.

But then, there's the distance to Philly which is a big downside, so we really would have to weigh out the pros and very big con of living in WC.

I am not even sure what sections I drove around...I was wandering aimlessly. I am not even sure if I saw the college. I might take another day trip there with hubby to check it out more closely.

I welcome more comments!