Matamoras is a small Delaware Valley borough experiencing new growth
Located at the tri-state junction of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, the borough of Matamoras is experiencing a revival while retaining its strong, small-town spirit. “You’ve got an overall familial vibe when you live here. There’s no way you can go around without knowing somebody,” says Ali Chaudhary, the IT manager at Smoker’s Paradise, a local family-owned business. Just over 2,400 people call Matamoras home, a number that continues to grow. “Over the past few years, Matamoras has spiked in population and income growth. You’ve got new people coming in from New York City who’ve found a much more affordable area here,” Chaudhary says. Whether people are moving to this borough for its relatively lower costs of living or for its easy access to Delaware River recreation, Matamoras is attracting new life to the quiet Upper Delaware region.
New townhouse construction is adding to a vintage housing stock
Matamoras was incorporated as a borough in 1905, and many of its homes were built in the first few decades of the 20th century. Homes built from the 1900s to 1950s have sold for between $100,000 and $430,000, and they tend to be Dutch Colonial, Colonial Revival or American Foursquare in style. Properties built from 1960 to 2000 attain higher sale prices, between $260,000 and $420,000. Recently, old aesthetics are coming to exist side-by-side with new construction. “Down Pennsylvania Avenue, you’ll see a pink house that came straight out of ‘Barbie’; it’s one of the iconic houses you’ll find over there,” Chaudhary says. “We also see new houses being built. The average home price before COVID was around $150,000, but the current average is just over $300,000.” Brand-new townhouses built in the 2020s range in sale price from $410,000 to $580,000, and they occupy suburban side-streets just outside Matamoras’ grid-patterned downtown area.
Local parks and valley viewpoints offer outdoor recreation
In addition to offering proximity to major parks along the Delaware River, Matamoras has its own small selection of outdoor spaces. “A lot of people go to Airport Park, where baseball, soccer and tennis teams play. There’s also a park for children where they do Fourth of July fireworks,” Chaudhary says. Where fighter pilots once trained during World War II, families now take their children to the playground and their dogs to a dog park at Airport Park. Matamoras is also close to the Hawks Nest Lookout just 5 miles to the northwest, across the New York state line. “Hawks Nest is extremely popular, and not just because of its unique view of the Delaware River. People go there with friends and family to sit down with food and snacks, enjoy the view and take a lot of photos,” Chaudhary says.
Local shops and restaurants regularly engage with the community
Matamoras has a highly localized economy, with residents either working in nearby Port Jervis or in Matamoras’ rising retail scene. “It’s retail-focused in that there are a lot of stores left, right and center, but a lot of the population also works in factories or contracting in nearby areas like Port Jervis,” Chaudhary says. Some of Matamoras’ shops double as gathering places for the community. “Franico’s Pizzeria is super local, and prices are low. The owner of that shop is basically known by everyone in town; he travels a lot and makes a lot of friends along the way,” Chaudhary says. The Two Rivers Grille has repeatedly been voted the best restaurant in Pike County by the readers of the Pocono Record, serving everything from Korean barbecue to chicken marsala in a laid-back pub setting.
Other businesses, such as the grocer Market 32, and Smokers Paradise, play active roles in serving the community as well. “We try to educate the community on health and the risks of the products we sell to them, and we also do backpack giveaways to schools and people who are not as fortunate as us,” Chaudhary says. “We want to encourage underprivileged children to go to school and get their education.”
B-plus-rated education at Delaware Valley schools
Students can attend Delaware Valley Elementary School, Delaware Valley Middle School and Delaware Valley High School, each of which receive B-plus ratings from Niche. Delaware Valley High offers over 30 Advanced Placement courses in addition to diverse CTE programs; students may opt to learn the automotive, building or health care trades, among others.
Quick access to healthcare and jobs in Port Jervis
Matamoras is a mile’s journey from downtown Port Jervis and its Bon Secours Community Hospital across the Mid-Delaware Bridge. Matamoras is also connected to the cities of the Wyoming Valley by Interstate 84; Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are accessible within 75-mile trips.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
