Delran Township is a Philadelphia suburb with quick shopping access
Named for its location between the Delaware River and Rancocas Creek, Delran Township offers all the essential conveniences of a South Jersey suburb. “It’s a traditional, suburban home. Originally, it got its start from people moving out of the city and across the river to more affordable housing,” says Naoji Moriuchi, a Realtor and associate broker with Compass New Jersey and leader of The Moriuchi Group. “Because it has Route 130 running right through it, there’s a lot of shopping, so whatever you need is really close by.” The growing community of 18,000 is just east of the industrial and storage facilities in East Riverton, and bridges into Philadelphia are less than 10 miles down Burlington Pike, making Delran Township a popular location for daily commuters.
Delran offers hiking and boating along the Delaware
The Delaware River and Rancocas Creek meet at the edge of Amico Island Park, which offers views of the Philly skyline and plenty of space for dog walkers, anglers and hikers. The Rancocas Creek Greenway Trail starts next to the island and connects to Pennington Park in neighboring Delanco. Rainbow Meadow Park, also along Rancocas Creek, offers another venue for nature walks. Delran is dotted with small playgrounds, and the Summer Hill Sports Complex features a hockey rink, a basketball court, a baseball diamond and a football field. Boaters can set out from the Dredge Harbor Boat Center and explore the Delaware Valley before returning for some relaxation at the center’s private club. “There’s a little restaurant right there on the water,” Moriuchi says. “It’s open seasonally, but it’s a great place to go and grab a cocktail, some wings or a sandwich.”
Mid-1900s homes mix with newer development
Delran’s residential communities branch off major roads like Haines Mill Road and Chester Avenue, where sidewalks, trees and midsize front lawns are common. The housing scene consists mostly of single-family homes built in the mid-20th century, although new development, including condos and townhouses, has taken place along the township's southern edge. “Ryan Homes built a development most recently. It’s right on the border of Moorestown on Hartford Road,” Moriuchi says. Condos go for $110,000 to $310,000, and townhouses go for $200,000 to $520,000. Properties built before 1970 have sold for $230,000 to $590,000, while those built from 1970 to 2000 go for $360,000 to $650,000. Homes built since 2000 tend to have the highest sale price, typically between $550,000 and $830,000.
Local businesses are known for their cheesesteaks and doughnuts
Burlington Pike runs through the middle of Delran Township and serves as its main retail hub. The Hartford Corners shopping center has a ShopRite, Lowe’s and Walgreens, while Target and the smaller Four Seasons Market — one of several Turkish specialty shops in the area — are on the same road. The Route 130 Diner has been owned by the same family since 1994, serving classic diner fare around the clock. “A lot of people like to go to Ott’s," Moriuchi says. "They have great cheesesteaks, and it’s a great place to watch your Eagles.” L&M Bakery is the local favorite for doughnuts. "If you want to make your employees happy, people go to L&M Bakery, grab some doughnuts and take them to work — and they won’t last long,” Moriuchi says.
Delran High has a history of strong athletics
Students can start at Millbridge Elementary School, which receives a B-plus from Niche, followed by Delran Intermediate School and Delran Middle School, which both receive a B-minus. B-rated Delran High School offers extracurriculars like chemical engineering and fabrication lab programs, plus a highly regarded athletics department. “Sports are pretty important,” Moriuchi says. “It's the hometown of [Olympic gold medalist] Carli Lloyd, so soccer is pretty important there.”
Philadelphia and health care outlets are short drives away
Philadelphia-bound commuters travel 15 miles to Center City. “Although there’s no direct rail station, you can get to pretty much anywhere because of access to Route 130 and the various bridges, whether you go south to Betsy Ross Bridge or go north to the Burlington-Bristol Bridge,” Moriuchi says. Delran is home to Jefferson Health Delran Primary Care, while the nearest medical center is Virtua Willingboro Hospital, 5 miles up Route 130 in Willingboro. “There’s some big employers in South Jersey from the hospital system. You have Cooper, Virtua and CHOP — they all have a presence here,” Moriuchi says. Philadelphia International Airport is a 20-mile drive, while shore-bound vacationers can travel 50 miles to Long Beach Island.
![Jacob Adelhoch]()
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
