'35min or less' Suburb comparison for family (Drexel Hill, Horsham: house, neighborhood)

[mckngbrd]

I'm trying to compare these town in hopes of NARROWING down the list.

~~good schools
not IVY League prep.... teachers who are caring,inspiring and knowlegable.

~~35min or less commute is important
How far some of these are when you factor in traffic, and the option of rail. Center city is the destination, and getting there another way than CAR would be great,Too.

~~an older suburb is preferable, we are definately more likely to by an AS_IS old house and make it our own, than a mcmansion. In a neighborhood that is safe. A yard is pretty important, but in theses times you cant ask for too much. (we have a 3/4 acre now, but have also lived in the heart of NYC and Philly before-except now we have kids and animals)

wyncote/rydal/jenkintown
cheltenham
(drexel hill/fort washington!?!?)
havertown
downington (too far?)
folsom
wallingford/swarthmore
media (too far?)
balacynwyd??
berwyn?
-----------
collingswood NJ
all the haddon's in NJ.
moorestown N.J. (too far?)
riverton nj.
cinnaminson (too far?)
westmont nj.

**people keep mentioning Mt. airy, university city and germantown to me, but i can't figure out house to look for these areas specifically, nor how to figure out the public school/charter school thing. Don't you ahve to applyfor charter schools WAY ahead and it's a toss up whether you will get in?!?!

Thank you for you help...citidata is wonderful but almost too exhaustive. I sincerely appreciate you input.

[maf763]

wyncote
rydal
jenkintown
cheltenham
fort washington

These northern suburbs (all Montgomery County) would fit your criteria for older suburbs and would all be within a 35 minute train ride to CC. All have 'good' school districts, but even within the best districts you'll find some teachers who are caring, inspiring and knowledgeable and some who aren't. Rydal is probably the most consistently expensive of them, but you'll find a range of housing prices and options in each area.

And before anybody has a hissy fit, I'm only mentioning these particular options because they are the ones I know best.

[lititzman2003]

Originally Posted by maf763

wyncote
rydal
jenkintown
cheltenham
fort washington

These northern suburbs (all Montgomery County) would fit your criteria for older suburbs and would all be within a 35 minute train ride to CC. All have 'good' school districts, but even within the best districts you'll find some teachers who are caring, inspiring and knowledgeable and some who aren't. Rydal is probably the most consistently expensive of them, but you'll find a range of housing prices and options in each area.

And before anybody has a hissy fit, I'm only mentioning these particular options because they are the ones I know best.

Great advice. Your Jersey choices are very good as well. Downingtown is too far.

[bambiying]

About a 5 min further train ride from Rydal would be the Hatboro/Upper Moreland area. Train station is in the middle of Hatboro, which is a nice little town. I live in Upper Moreland 5 min. from the train and have half an acre, so good yards, and the school districts whether Upper Moreland or Hatboro-Horsham are good too.

[orrmobl]

havertown
Pilgrim Gardens section of Drexel Hill
swarthmore
springfield
folsom
balacynwyd

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collingswood NJ
all the haddon's in NJ.

Also Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Ardmore, Wynnewood, Narberth

SEPTA

What you should do is check the regional rail schedules for the R3, R5 R6, R7 and R8 and pick stations with a commute you can stand. Driving will not get you to center city in 35 minutes unless you live right over the border in mostly less-than-desirable areas. Also where you work in the city affects commute obviously. You need to let us know a central place you are commuting to and we can narrow it down for you.

And I personally think you are getting too hung up on the 35 minute thing - for that type of commute you may be better off living in the city and sending the kids to Catholic school. Or just take the extra 5 minutes and consider Wallingford, etc.

To find Germantown and the other areas you need to google their zip codes and then search on those.

[mckngbrd]

well---my husband would be commuting to center city for a job that would really.....dig iinto our family life. He has done this before in NYC and having him an HOUR+ (like now) from home is really a hardship when he's just not home that much as it is, thus the time element and my obsession

[maestro]

any interest in Ambler? That may fit your criteria.

[silverspringer]

Bala Cynwyd offers a nice commute -- 13 minutes from Bala to 30th St. Station on the R6 -- but the R6(the trainline) doesn't run as frequently as the R5, which serves surrounding areas like Narberth, Merion, Haverford. You are pretty close to R5 stations too though, if you need them, and driving isn't bad. The R6 doesn't run on weekends.

Lower Merion schools are very well regarded but the lots tend to be smaller.

[rainrock]

Media/Upper Providence + Swarthmore/Nether Providence is well worth a look. Approx30 minute commute into Center City depending on traffic.

[Jennifer19027]

I live in Elkins Park, Cheltenham and love it. I'd second the other posting recommending Wyncote, Rydal, Jenkintown, etc, but add Elkins Park to the list.