Medford has parks and strong schools outside Philadelphia
Medford was once an industrial town deep in the Pine Barrens of South Jersey. It's now a growing Philadelphia exurb surrounding the small borough of Medford Lakes , with several parks and strong schools in the area. “Once you’re here, it’s quiet,” says Joseph A Rivera Joseph A Rivera, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty who has sold several homes in Medford. “You have no light pollution. You can look up and see all the stars in the air. It’s peaceful.” Today, around 25,000 people call Medford home, many of them longtime residents. “It’s one of those towns where the people stay here,” Rivera says. The school district and nearby hospitals are the two largest employers, and highway access to Philadelphia opens the door to additional employment and entertainment.
Highly rated Medford schools offer strong academics and athletics
Students can attend one of five elementary schools in the Medford Township School District, each rated A-minus or higher by Niche. The Haines Sixth Grade Center and Medford Memorial Middle School, which serves grades 7 and 8, both receive an A-minus. Shawnee High School, also rated A-minus, offers the Scoir program to help students plan for college and their careers. The high school also touts 149 athletic state championships and a graduation rate of 96.3%.
Historic and new homes sell for regionally higher prices
Medford's residential streets branch off from major roads and cut into thick forests, though sidewalks are rare outside the main retail avenues. The diverse housing scene includes condo developments, townhouses, single-family homes built from the 1850s to the 2020s, and multimillion-dollar estates. “We have everything from first-time homebuyers all the way up to million-dollar homes,” Rivera says. “With some towns, you’re maxing out at $400,000 in today’s market, whereas $400,000 is a starter home in Medford.” With a median sale price of around $620,000, Medford is pricier than nearby Burlington County townships like Mount Holly and Lumberton , which typically have median sale prices between $400,000 and $500,000. The enclave of Medford Lakes, governed by an independent HOA, has a median sale price of $1,750,000. Medford's CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Main Street connects two major retail hubs and plenty of restaurants
Main Street turns into Stokes Road and serves as Medford’s dining hub. “A nice part about Medford is that we have a center of town where there’s a lot of shops,” Rivera says. “We have four breweries now in that section. One of the mayors passed a bill where you can actually take your beer, walk down the street and go shop.” Ginger Asian Cuisines offers hearty helpings of Chinese and Japanese dishes in a dining area decorated with Buddhist artwork. Braddock’s Tavern, built in 1844, continues its longstanding tradition of roadside hospitality and fine dining in a handsome Colonial-style building. Family-run Italian restaurants like Tarantella specialize in Italian recipes ranging from frutti di mare to New York-style pizza. Johnson’s Corner Farm is locally known for its apple cider donuts and its fall activities, which include hayrides and apple picking. Grocery options include ShopRite, Acme and Murphy’s Fresh Marketplace.
Medford hosts holiday and monthly events
Seasonal events, holiday festivities and food festivals bring together the local community. “For Oktoberfest, all the breweries were there. They had a lot of craftspeople coming in,” Rivera says. “Once a month, on Thursday night, they’ll go downtown with food trucks. They’re trying to keep everything downtown for the community.”
Parks and wildlife refuges offer outdoor activities throughout Medford
Parks and nature preserves occupy around half of Medford. Medford Fish and Wildlife Management Area is popular with hikers and hunters, and the Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge includes a nature center and trails for birdwatching. The YMCA of the Pines sleepaway camp, established in 1844, hosts “family camp” events on Memorial Day weekend. Bob Meyer Memorial Park’s playground, Fort Medford, has the appearance of a frontier outpost from the 1700s. Freedom Park includes pickleball courts, a skate park, disc golf and a “Freedom Barks” section for dogs.
Route 70 and the Turnpike connect Medford to the city and the shore
Medford’s direct access to New Jersey Route 70 puts Philadelphia a 20-mile drive away. The New Jersey Turnpike’s Camden Toll Plaza entrance is 8 miles away, connecting Medford to Central Jersey and beyond. Residents are also 50 miles from Atlantic City and the beaches of Long Beach Island. Medford has its own hospital, the Medford Medical Center.
![Jacob Adelhoch]()
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
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Photography Contributed By
Carmen Gerace
