Chinchilla, Pennsylvania, is best thought of as two distinct areas joined together in a single neighborhood. “Locals refer to places by school district; this neighborhood is part Abington and part Lakeland,” says Diane Calabro, co-founder of Classic Properties, who has sold homes in the area for almost 50 years. Chinchilla, by its official definition, is a village in the South Abington Township that was named in honor of the 1880 postmistress’s chinchilla shawl. Residents of Chinchilla have direct access to U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81 and are positioned close to the town of Scranton. Wide streets span the wooded neighborhood, and most homes are set back from the road at the end of private driveways. Nearby shopping is within a 2-mile radius, and local parks are a short distance as well.
Legend has it that Chinchilla, PA was named in 1880 after a chinchilla-fur shawl.
Buying in Abington Heights may cost more
The market in Chinchilla is divided between homes in the Abington Heights School District and those in the Lakeland School District. “Everything in Abington is always in demand. Everything is selling now, but if you want equity, buy in the Abington district,” Calabro says. “One fellow built about 300 townhouses, and they all sold for between $150,000 and $200,000. For most places, though, $250,000 will get you a fixer-upper.” Current listings in the area range between $200,000 and $450,000. A four-bedroom bungalow built in 1940 on 1 acre of land in the Lakeland district may list for as low as $250,000, and a four-bedroom newly constructed home in the Abington district with traditional details and an attached garage can list for closer to $450,000.
Well maintained mid-century homes in Chinchilla, PA.
There are also bungalow style homes in Chinchilla, PA.
There are also newer townhouses available in Chinchilla, PA.
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Abington Heights School District versus Lakeland School District
Students in the area may be zoned for the Abington Heights School District or the Lakeland School District, depending on their location within the neighborhood. “All of our school districts are good, but Abington is thought to have the best curriculum and teachers,” Calabro says. South Abington Elementary School, Abington Heights Middle School and Abington Heights High School are all rated A-minus by Niche. Abington Heights Middle and High School students can participate in extracurricular sports, including soccer, wrestling and swimming. Students zoned for Lakeland may attend Lakeland Elementary School- Scott Campus and Lakeland Junior-Senior High School, both of which earned C-plus scores on Niche. To encourage academic scholarship, students at Lakeland Senior High who have strong attendance, have taken the requisite number of Advanced Placement courses and have completed community service requirements can achieve a Lambda Eta Sigma award at graduation. “Some parents in the area choose to send their kids to Scranton Preparatory School,” Calabro says. Scranton Prep is about 6 miles from Chinchilla and earns an A on Niche.
U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81 make for an easy commute
The County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS) buses stop at the intersection of Layton Boulevard and U.S. Route 11 every hour between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9:00 to 5:00 on Saturdays. With Route 11 and I-81 bordering the neighborhood, locals can quickly get to Scranton for work, entertainment and shopping. The Geisinger Community Medical Center is about 6.5 miles away, and kids needing medical care can see doctors at PAK Pediatrics, just over 1 mile northwest. The closest major airport is the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, 18 miles away, which offers direct flights to Chicago and New York.
An aerial view of Chinchilla, PA showing US 476.
Residents of Chinchilla, PA have easy access to the Penn Turnpike and US 81.
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Dining with your dog
Chinchilla residents can find several grocery stores within a 2-mile drive, including Weis Markets and The Fresh Grocer. The Viewmont Mall, around 3 miles south, has over 60 shops and restaurants. Abbiocco in Clarks Summit, less than 1 mile from Chinchilla, serves hoagies and homemade soups at lunch and Italian specialties at dinner. Patrons enjoying their meals on the deck are welcome to bring their dogs, with the option to treat them to specially curated meals off the “K9 menu.” Locals craving Pad Thai can try Formosa, which is about 2 miles away.
The lunch time crowd at Gourmet Family Restaurant in Chinchilla, PA.
For a nice dinner, Chinchilla, PA residents head out to Abbiocco.
The Viewmont Mall offers suburban amenities to residents of Chinchilla, PA.
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Splash pads and go-karts
The nearest playground is South Abington Community Park, less than 1 mile from the southwestern corner of Chinchilla. They have a splash pad, several play structures and a creek to explore. Lahey Family Fun Park, which has an arcade and go-karts, is about a 5-mile drive for locals. Residents can also explore Griffin Reservoir, about 1-2 miles from homes in the neighborhood, where skilled fishermen can potentially catch bass.
There are trails and a covered bridge at S. Abington Township Community Park in Chinchilla, PA.
Shooting hoops at S. Abington Township Community Park in Chinchilla, PA.
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Rotary Club events around Chinchilla
The Rotary Club of Abington organizes events for the area. Taste of the Abingtons, most recently held at the Country Club of Scranton, about 3 miles away, is a fundraiser with wine tastings and food from area restaurants. The Rotary Club also provides fireworks for Independence Day. For local entertainment, the Keystone Stage in Olyphant, about 6 miles from Chinchilla, hosts concerts and comedians.
Proximity to the Interstate 81 can be noisy
Homes located closer to Interstate 81 may notice highway noise. The interstate encircles the lower southwestern part of the neighborhood.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Chinchilla, PA sell after 86 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Chinchilla, PA over the last 12 months is $357,700, up 44% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Find your new home in this charming, maintenance-free, beautifully updated 2-bedroom, 1.5-bath end-unit townhome in South Abington Township. This spacious unit boasts great natural light, ample storage, two dedicated parking spaces, and an unbeatable location in the Abington Heights School District.
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