Archbald, PA (Scranton, Carbondale, Willow Street: real estate, crime, home)

[matdam]

Does anyone know anything about Archbald, PA? Is it a good place to live? It looks like it's close to the river - does the area flood at all? Any and all info would be very helpful!!!!!

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by matdam

Does anyone know anything about Archbald, PA? Is it a good place to live? It looks like it's close to the river - does the area flood at all? Any and all info would be very helpful!!!!!

It has a famous landmark - the Archibald Pothole. Seriously.

[SteelCityRising]

Archbald certainly isn't a bad place to call home. Crime here is minimal, and it generally consists of minor things (DUIs, domestic disturbances, rowdy teenagers, vandalism, etc.) The community is home to slightly over 6,000 residents, and it is home to the Valley View School District, which is one of the better school district in Lackawanna County, behind Abington Heights (Clarks Summit) and North Pocono (Moscow/Mt. Cobb). The community is home to a large installation for Lockheed-Martin, as well as two fire companies, a post office (18403), several churches, and a few stores along Business Route 6 in the Eynon section of the borough. The Casey Highway runs through the eastern side of the community, and this newer, light-traffic artery links Carbondale, just to the north of Archbald, with Scranton, the primary city to the south. The Lackawanna River does flow through Archbald, but the community is very well-protected by flood walls.

The community is a blend of older, established neighborhoods from the coal mining era to planned subvisions, such as Wildcat Ridge, Hills of Archbald, Winton Village, Loral Estates, and Kennedy Estates. The community is 98.6% white, non-Hispanic and has a median family income of $52,410.
20.7% of the population has a Bachelor's Degree or higher. As of 2000, the median home value in the community was $92,200, but upscale residential growth since then probably has that value closer to the $120,000 mark or so in 2007. The median age in town is 40. Your main shopping district will be in the areas surrounding the Viewmont Mall in Dickson City, which is only about 10-15 minutes south of Archbald, as well as Scranton, which is about 20 minutes away.

[SteelCityRising]

Here are some real estate listings from Archbald to get you started:





Address: 120 Maria Boulevard
Subdivision: Hills of Archbald
Price: $425,000
Year Built: 1999
Number of Rooms: 8
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 3,437
Lot Size: 125' x 161'
Annual Property Taxes: $3,523


Address: 263 Yavorek Drive
Subdivision: Wildcat Ridge
Price: $328,000
Year Built: 2006
Number of Rooms: 8
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,705
Lot Size: 105' x 135'
Annual Property Taxes: $1,542





Address: 432 West Church Street
Subdivision: Hills of Archbald
Price: $319,900
Year Built: 2004
Number of Rooms: 9
Number of Bedrooms: 4
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,375
Lot Size: 119' x 100'
Annual Property Taxes: $4,674





Address: 107 Crestwood Lane
Subdivision: Loral Estates
Price: $314,900
Year Built: 2005
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Bedrooms: 4
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 1,980
Lot Size: 104' x 246'
Annual Property Taxes: $1,350




Address: 427 Deer Run Drive
Subdivision: Hills of Archbald
Price: $309,000
Year Built: 2003
Number of Rooms: 8
Number of Bedrooms: 4
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,575
Lot Size: 105' x 130'
Annual Property Taxes: $3,583





Address: 204 Columbus Drive
Subdivision: None
Price: $269,000
Year Built: 1957
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,349
Lot Size: 100' x 165'
Annual Property Taxes: $3,116





Address: 124 Bel Air Drive
Subdivision: Bel Air Acres
Price: $249,900
Year Built: 1999
Number of Rooms: 8
Number of Bedrooms: 4
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 1,920
Lot Size: 69' x 123'
Annual Property Taxes: $3,200




Address: 106 Willow Street
Subdivision: None
Price: $219,900
Year Built: 2004
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 1,766
Lot Size: 100' x 120'
Annual Property Taxes: $2,360

[SteelCityRising]

Address: 492 Main Street
Price: $159,900
Year Built: 1930
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 2.5
Square Footage: 2,000
Lot Size: 50' x 120'
Annual Property Taxes: $1,013



Address: 1117 Filbert Street
Price: $159,000
Year Built: 1965
Number of Rooms: 7
Number of Bedrooms: 2
Number of Bathrooms: 1.5
Square Footage: 1,000
Lot Size: 75' x 150'
Annual Property Taxes: $1,324

[matdam]

Thanks so much SWB! I figured you would have the info that I was looking for.

[msteeler2]

Archbald is a nice borough. I believe it is the 4th or 5th largest borough in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lackawanna River does run thru the town and has flooded on occassion. The nicest parts of the borough for housing are not in flood plains. Take a ride thru any of the developments and you will see excellent properties at a respectable price. Route 6 and Route 6 Business run parellel to one another on the East and West sides of town. main Street runs North to Jermyn and South to Peckville. The town is off the beaten path yet close enough to major thoroughfares to make it accessable. The average age of the town is higher than state average as there is a fair share of retired people as well as widow and widowers. More peaceful and quite than most towns it's size.

[weluvpa]

SWB:
"The Lackawanna River does flow through Archbald, but the community is very well-protected by flood walls. "

This is not completely true there are several areas along the Lackawanna River in Archbald that are not protected by any flood walls and they do flood when we have major flooding events along the river corridor. Please check with any local municipal offices to locate the 100yr flood plain in Archbald before you buy a home there otherwise its a great place but be sure you check out the areas of the river first so that you will not have to go thru the experience of a major flood. Good luck

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

SWB:
"The Lackawanna River does flow through Archbald, but the community is very well-protected by flood walls. "

This is not completely true there are several areas along the Lackawanna River in Archbald that are not protected by any flood walls and they do flood when we have major flooding events along the river corridor. Please check with any local municipal offices to locate the 100yr flood plain in Archbald before you buy a home there otherwise its a great place but be sure you check out the areas of the river first so that you will not have to go thru the experience of a major flood. Good luck

I stand corrected, and I apologize. I must have misunderstood some Lower Green Ridge and Plot Section residents who were interviewed about last year's flooding, when they blamed their heightened problems on being magnified by "the flood walls upstream that protect Archbald, Blakely, Olyphant, etc." I figured that the entire stretch through the Mid-Valley area was fully-protected by flood walls, which worsened the flooding downstream in the Plot Section and Lower Green Ridge. If I'm not mistaken, flood control improvements are well underway in these areas as well though, right? I know the people in these two parts of Scranton have had their patience tried by the flooding far too many times.

[weluvpa]

Actually the Plot is now fully protected by a levee as well as flood gates but Lower Greenridge will not see anything for AT LEAST two more years, and they average a huge flood every other year so they have at least one more major flood to deal with but when flooded in 2004 they were told that they would ahve a levee by 06 then when flooded in 06 they were told that they would have their levee in 2008 when it will for sure they do noy know!

The Army Corps is responsible for Flood Control and the city is responsible for flood protection but in the last two major floods in Lower Greenridge the city has done nothing to help those residents at all in any way. They were left to their own accord last summer with no response or assistance from anyone in the city except the DPW wokers who picked up the debris, otherwise they never saw a single city offical.

Historically speaking the river had always flooded the neighborhoods alittle here and there but there really wasn't a major flooding problem until they started the flood control porjects up stream. If you take a body of moving water and narrow its path you increase its depth and speed but do not decrease its volume so when that volume of water that is now twice as deep and twice as fast reaches an area that is unprotected it will spill over the banks at a speed that would make you head turn. Last summer the residents of Lower Greenridge witnessed the water go over the bank and within 2hrs it was thru out the entire neighborhood at a depth of 3+ ft. Most and mean 95% of the neighborhoods up stream are protected but some did not meet the cost requirements (land being protected is not worth what it would cost to build a levee) they are small areas but yet they are unprotected.
Paul you should look into the LRCA riverfest, canoe and kayak race and benefit for the LRCA, kayaks and canoes are a great way to see the river, you can paddle all the way from Jermyn to Southside without any problems and have a great day doing it.