A quiet town with rural landscapes in Washington County
Home to fewer than 900 people spread over nearly 21 square miles, Hopewell Township is a rural community that embraces a slower pace of life. Country roads wind through town, leading past acres of rolling farmland and thickets of mature trees. These include the dense woodlands of Cross Creek County Park, the largest green space in Washington County. It offers abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation as hikers hit the trails, paddle boaters head to Cross Creek Lake and fishermen gather around the shores hoping to catch largemouth bass. While the town offers plenty of privacy in its natural landscapes, Pennsylvania Route 844 winds through the countryside and connects residents to the city center of Washington, about 10 miles away, for shopping, dining and entertainment.
Crops, cattle and horses are common sights across Hopewell Township’s rolling hills.
Farmhouse touches and front porches give Hopewell's older homes extra charm.
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Homes rarely go on the market in Hopewell Township
Most residents live along Pennsylvania Route 844 in the unincorporated village of Buffalo or around the borough of West Middletown. Traditional farmhouses, Colonial Revivals and cottage-style homes are the norm here and have smaller lots within view of one another. Properties further from the highway tend to sit on larger parcels of farmland, and homebuyers will find that split-level and ranch-style homes are common architectural styles. Homes rarely come on the market; in all of 2024, only one house was offered for sale. Homes here have an average estimated value of about $300,000. Hopewell Township’s overall CAP Index crime score is 1 out of 10, the lowest possible score and significantly lower than the national average of 4.
Large farmhouses dot Hopewell Township, supporting multigenerational cattle and crop farms.
Many Hopewell Township farms include multiple outbuildings for equipment, feed and storage.
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Low student-teacher ratio in the Avella Area School District
The township is part of the Avella Area School District, which earns a C-plus rating from Niche. Avella Elementary Center and Avella Junior/Senior High School also both receive a C-plus, and the two schools share a campus in the Village of Avella, less than 10 miles from Hopewell Township. With fewer than 500 students, the district has a low student-teacher ratio of 10-to-1. Its dual enrollment program allows juniors and seniors to enroll in up to two college-level courses each semester and earn credit from local universities.
Avella Elementary Center serves Hopewell Township families in the Avella Area School District.
Avella Junior/Senior High School offers dual enrollment for college credit.
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Fishermen catch largemouth bass in Cross Creek Lake
Cross Creek County Park stretches into the northern half of Hopewell Township. Public boat launches sit on either side of Cross Creek Lake, a popular fishing spot where largemouth bass and bluegill are the most common catches. Both boat launch areas have a playground, picnic pavilion and public restrooms. Miles of hiking trails surround the lake, passing through dense woodlands and rolling meadows.
Washington County has nearly 20,000 acres of State Game Lands. Residents are less than 10 miles from SGL 232, where native game includes white-tailed deer, rabbits and turkeys. Residents can also become members of the Keystone Coon Hunters Club and join organized hunting trips. Between acres of farmland is Indian Run Golf Club, a public 18-hole course with scenic vistas of the countryside. It’s less than 8 miles from Hopewell Township and offers annual memberships.
Cross Creek County Park offers wooded trails and lake views in Washington County.
Public launches at Cross Creek Lake make paddling and fishing easy near Hopewell Township.
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Shopping and dining in nearby Washington
The town’s only restaurant is Marsha Cassel’s Kitchen on Main. Set in a 19th-century Colonial Revival home in West Middletown, it embraces a homey atmosphere and emphasizes farm-fresh ingredients. Residents typically head to nearby Washington for shops and restaurants, less than 10 miles from Hopewell Township. The city offers big-box stores like Target, Giant Eagle Supermarket and Walmart. Dining options range from fast-food chains to local institutions such as Osso’s Original Pizza, which has been serving up thin-crust pies for more than 70 years.
Breezy Heights Tavern pairs pub fare with easy conversation in Hopewell Township.
Shop'n Save in Washington keeps grocery runs convenient for Hopewell Township households.
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Cars are the main form of transportation in Hopewell Township
Like many rural communities, Hopewell Township lacks public transportation and is heavily car-dependent. Pennsylvania Route 844 is the main thoroughfare in town and offers a direct route to the city of Washington, about 10 miles away. Interstates 70 and 79 pass through Washington, and residents are around a 40-mile drive from Pittsburgh via I-79. Pittsburgh International Airport is less than 30 miles away.
Denser housing and street parking clusters near West Middletown’s main streets, close to Route 844.
State Game Lands 232 offers 5,100-plus acres for hunting less than 10 miles away.
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Health concerns associated with living near natural gas wells
Pennsylvania is the second-largest natural gas producer in the country, and according to a 2024 article from the Observer-Reporter, 15% of the state’s natural gas production comes from Washington County. Hopewell Township sits atop the Marcellus Shale, thought to be the second-largest natural gas reserve in the world, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Education shows more than 100 active gas wells in town. A 2023 study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh found that children who lived closer to natural gas wells were more likely to develop health problems, including asthma and lymphoma, because of poor air quality.
Nearly 21 square miles of farmland shapes Hopewell Township’s quiet, rural character.
Rolling farmland meets peaceful country living in Hopewell Township.
GreatSchools:
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Location Location Location. Minutes to downtown Washington PA, yet a haven with babbling brook, wooded acreage for your hunting grounds or private enclave creating your estate. Property is at the T intersection of Fox Rd and Rte 331 straight ahead at intersection. Cut in Driveway is not on this property. Feel free to walk the property but please wear proper clothing and boots to cross
Great opportunity in Avella! Spacious ranch with so much potential sitting on a 10.873 acre lot! Two car over sized detached garage for parking!! Three generous sized bedrooms with large closest!! Spacious kitchen with plenty of wooden cabinetry!! Two full baths on main level! Unfinished basement for additional storage or could be finished to add additional living space! Centrally located!!
Tucked away on a scenic 1.7-acre parcel, this well-cared-for ranch offers the perfect balance of peaceful country living with everyday convenience. Located just minutes from I-70 and a short drive to the shopping, dining, and amenities of South Strabane, you’ll enjoy privacy without feeling isolated. Owned by the same family for over five decades, this home reflects pride of ownership throughout.
Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
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