Swarthmore, Rutledge, Wallingford - Is there a difference between them? (Philadelphia: real estate, rent)

[AuntNik]

Our "town" hunt continues. We haven't even gotten to the house hunt yet. I am really thinking that Wallingford-Swarthmore is really the best area for us. I see that Swarthmore, Wallingford, Rutledge and Nether Provindence all feed into their middle school and high school. We really want this to be our last move until the kids are done with school (both elementary schoolers now).

Can I get some feedback on the differences between these three small communities?

Thanks!!

[PhillyViaBoston]

To come up with differences you would really be splitting hairs. There's nothing substantially different.

As you know, all these municipalities (and adding Rose Valley) have the same school district (Wallingford-Swarthmore), which has three elementary schools feeding into the same middle school and high school (Strath Haven). People may argue which elementary is better, but NPE usually comes out third (and I'll admit being biased to WES). That could change once the new NPE building renovation is complete. (WES renovation was completed last year, and SRS several years ago. The middle school is also practically brand new.)

Because these municipalities all share the same school district there are many other community commonalities including summer camps, sports leagues and after school activities. They also share the same parks, and regional rail line into Philadelphia.

Swarthmore has a bit of a reputation for being uppity and crunchy (perhaps due to the presence of a popular liberal arts college), but that hasn't really been my experience. I've seen old-time Swarthmore folks tend to define their community as their brough (only) and some still seem a little angry (or nostalgic) that Swarthmore & Wallingford combined their schools in the 80s, with Swarthmore High closing and "Strath Haven" born in place of Wallingford High School. Another example: Until recently they also only let Swarthmore residents use the Swarthmore Swim Club (anyone could join the Wallingford or Rose Valley pools), but that changed. The urge of some Swarthmoreans to isolate themselves only to Swarthmore is fading (and a bit comical to me), but you can still see it if you look hard enough.

Rutledge is, perhaps unfairly, viewed as the lower rent side of SRS elementary. Some of the Wallingford area Wallingford around NPE also has a reputation for being not-as-nice as the rest of the area. But we're really talking about a mile or two in geography here. It's not all that different.

Also, for clarity, Wallingford just is a section of Nether Providence township. Wallingford has it's own post office and zip code (19086) and the part of Nether Providence that is not also Wallingford uses the Media post office (19063). Rose Valley also uses Media (19063).

My advice: Find a house you like. It's a great school district and a wonderful place to raise a family. One "side of the tracks" is really no different than the other once you get down to it. Good luck!

[mcguirk]

I grew up in Folsom and I felt Swarthmore was isolated from the rest of inner Delaware County in a way that Rutledge and Wallingford certainly aren't.

[RCdelco]

In terms of real estate, Swarthmore is definitely the most prestigious out of the ones you've listed.

[cpomp]

Rose Valley which is often overlooked because it is so small and has a Media zipcode, but is in Wallingford Swarthmore Schools would be equivalent to Swarthmore as far as gorgeous residential architecture, a lot of arts and craft type homes also with a generally wealthier crowd.

[soulsurv]

I lived in the "lower-rent" section of Wallngford for 22 years and was very happy there. The taxes were much lower than the more grand side of Wallingford, and that was/is important to me. Swarthmore taxes are beyond insane - that said, it is a beautiful town with a closely-knit community, often utilizing the musical venues at the College. Rose Valley/Moylan has the most highly-unique architecture in the area, with historic homes organically laid out in the hills and valleys. You really should drive through there. It also has the Hedgerow Theatre, the oldest repertory theatre in the country. All three towns have their own train station. I'm most uncertain about Rutledge in terms of the school district: part of it is assigned to WS and part to Ridley, but I don't know where the boundaries lie.

[PhillyViaBoston]

Originally Posted by soulsurv

Swarthmore taxes are beyond insane

I believe this to be way too general a statement. Property taxes are, primarily, paid to the school district. For example, living in Nether Providence I pay maybe 15% of my taxes to Nether Providence township and the other 85% to the Wallingford-Swarthmore school district. Swarthmore does the same.

The oddest thing about property taxes is how randomly they seem to be assigned. There are $500,000 houses in the Wallingford-Swarthmore school district that pay $5,000 a year in taxes, some that pay $15,000 a year in taxes, and everything in between. There is very little logic involved. (Though consider that new construction almost always has higher taxes than an equivalent-size older house, even if the older house has been completely gut renovated.)

Additionally, there is a set rate for which your individual school taxes can rise per year (set by the state on a district-by-district basis), so there's never really a re-balancing that happens within a community. If you house is under- or over-taxed in your school system it will probably continue to be for a long time.

You really need to consider the (known and published) tax assessment rate for every individual property when you're looking to buy a house. In my experience there is too much of a swing from house-to-house to make a meaningful generalization about an entire town or area.

[soulsurv]

Originally Posted by PhillyViaBoston

I believe this to be way too general a statement. Property taxes are, primarily, paid to the school district. For example, living in Nether Providence I pay maybe 15% of my taxes to Nether Providence township and the other 85% to the Wallingford-Swarthmore school district. Swarthmore does the same.

The oddest thing about property taxes is how randomly they seem to be assigned. There are $500,000 houses in the Wallingford-Swarthmore school district that pay $5,000 a year in taxes, some that pay $15,000 a year in taxes, and everything in between. There is very little logic involved. (Though consider that new construction almost always has higher taxes than an equivalent-size older house, even if the older house has been completely gut renovated.)

Additionally, there is a set rate for which your individual school taxes can rise per year (set by the state on a district-by-district basis), so there's never really a re-balancing that happens within a community. If you house is under- or over-taxed in your school system it will probably continue to be for a long time.

You really need to consider the (known and published) tax assessment rate for every individual property when you're looking to buy a house. In my experience there is too much of a swing from house-to-house to make a meaningful generalization about an entire town or area.

I don't know how a half-mil house in Wallingford can only charge 5 thou in taxes. But I stand by my statement regarding Swarthmore. I do agree with you that there is no rhyme or reason, as I'm trying to figure out now while looking at my hometown of Springfield. While they are nowhere near the Wal-Swarth taxes, they have no logic to them and have increased substantially. YET: that town has more than enough "industry" to counteract high taxes. I thought that was a determining factor - but no. It's all very strange, and I sometimes think that there is a gigantic conspiracy of :keep 'em ignorant" regarding Delaware County taxes.

[Jem1]

We were house hunting for our son, wife & family, who are both Stanford U. grads, who are coming east now. My husband & I are UPENN grads & live in Abington. We were trying to find a starter home for them since they will both be practicing in Delaware County. What an eye opening experience!
I am most upset by the way affluent school districts just circumvent the lesser value properties with people who may or may not bring down their test scores or property values by relegating them to a less affluent school district. Case in point: wealthy Swarthmore has an area of lower Swarthmore, houses@150,000+ in an area now called Swarthmorewoods to differentiate. They are both 19081, but students in that area go to school in Ridley SD, as if they are not good enough to associate with affluent Swarthmore. Yet WSSD reaches across Ridley to take Rutledge in exchange which is more in keeping with their standards.
HUD should be contacted for discrimination! WSSD doesn't think that "these hardworking people are worth a WSSD education". They will probably overly tax them if they are made to accept them. I respect school districts who are diverse & treat everyone equally without Achievement gaps. I wonder how great your school district would be if you accepted all students? SHAME ON YOU, WSSD & others like you!

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Jem1

We were house hunting for our son, wife & family, who are both Stanford U. grads, who are coming east now. My husband & I are UPENN grads & live in Abington. We were trying to find a starter home for them since they will both be practicing in Delaware County. What an eye opening experience!
I am most upset by the way affluent school districts just circumvent the lesser value properties with people who may or may not bring down their test scores or property values by relegating them to a less affluent school district. Case in point: wealthy Swarthmore has an area of lower Swarthmore, houses@150,000+ in an area now called Swarthmorewoods to differentiate. They are both 19081, but students in that area go to school in Ridley SD, as if they are not good enough to associate with affluent Swarthmore. Yet WSSD reaches across Ridley to take Rutledge in exchange which is more in keeping with their standards.
HUD should be contacted for discrimination! WSSD doesn't think that "these hardworking people are worth a WSSD education". They will probably overly tax them if they are made to accept them. I respect school districts who are diverse & treat everyone equally without Achievement gaps. I wonder how great your school district would be if you accepted all students? SHAME ON YOU, WSSD & others like you!

LOLOLOL

Swarthmorewood is part of Ridley Township. Either you're a troll or you're painfully ignorant about the difference between zip codes and municipalities.