Good and Bad: Sharon Hill (Philadelphia, Chester: houses, neighborhood, schools)

[chipmunk226]

Just curious if this is a good place to live with a young family with small kids.

Is there a lot of crime?
Does it have more poverty than other areas in Deleware County?
How are the schools?
Are there any new housing developments, or are the houses all aged?
What is the commute to Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia like via public transportation, how long?
Is it walkable or do you need a car?
Is it up and coming?
Or is more down and going ;-)

Thanks!

[Amerikrainian]

I live up the street (a mile or so) in Glenolden. Sharon Hill is more run down than most of Delaware County (until you get to Chester). Boroughs on the west side of Oak Ave are nicer (slightly to much better housing and less dicey) than those on the east side, which is closer to Philly. That includes places like Yeadon, Collingdale, Sharon Hill and parts of Clifton Heights. Just a few blocks of Glenolden are east of Oak Ave, the rest is west. And the few that are east (my neighborhood) are not as nice as most of Glenolden that is west of Oak ave. So, if you're looking at different boroughs, think of Oak Ave as a dividing line.

I don't go to Sharon Hill much, and maybe somebody will correct me here, but I dont know of new housing there. I wouldn't expect much from the schools either. I think they are Darby Township schools, not Interboro (which are supposedly a step up from Darby). There is another school system, west of oak-better-but I dont remember what it's called.

There is a Sharon Hill septa station and there is a Primos Station further up on Oak ave. I dont ride it so can't say exactly how long it would take to get to the eastern edge of Philly. Pretty sure you'd be switching somewhere though.

There is a decent little playground there on Chester Pike, and a shopping center with dollar tree, Acme (I think it's Acme) and a few other places. Depending on your preferences and exactly what you'd like to be walking to, I'd guess you could say it's walkable.

Hope that helps.

[mancat100]

Repost/move this to The Philadelphia forum. You'll get more response.