Quiet suburb on the Main Line
Penn Valley is a woodsy community offering residents plenty of privacy along the Schuylkill River. “It’s a nice neighborhood of mostly single-family homes that have approximately two-thirds to three-quarter-acre lots,” says Damon Michels, an associate broker with the Damon Michels Team at Keller Williams who grew up in Penn Valley. “There are great schools and easy access to Interstate 76.” The community is part of Philadelphia’s prestigious Main Line and shares a zip code with its southern neighbor, the borough of Narberth. Residents are also just a 12-mile drive from Center City, which is Philadelphia’s central business district.
Private homes with spacious lots
A thick canopy of trees shades Penn Valley’s residential streets, few of which have sidewalks. A variety of single-family homes sit behind the tree line on spacious, manicured lawns that average just under three-quarters of an acre. “People [in Penn Valley] are more inclined toward privacy,” says Jennifer LeBow, a Realtor with Compass who grew up in the Main Line. Stately French Country estates and brick Colonial Revivals sit down the street from sprawling ranch-style homes. Prices for single-family homes range from around $735,000 for a four-bedroom Cape Cod-style home to about $1.54 million for a five-bedroom estate. Homebuyers will also find new construction built around the early 2020s, with new traditional homes selling for about $2 million. In the northwest corner of Penn Valley, the Oak Hill Condominium Association features 135 condos with views of the Schuylkill River. Condos range from around $190,000 for a one-bedroom unit to about $430,000 for a three-bedroom unit with a private balcony overlooking the river.
Top-rated schools with a low student-teacher ratio
Students attend the Lower Merion School District, which earned an A-plus from Niche and was rated the best school district in Montgomery County. The district has an average student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1. Kids begin their education at Penn Valley Elementary School before moving to Welsh Valley Middle School. Teens in the west side of Penn Valley attend Lower Merion High School, while those further east attend Harriton Senior High School. All four schools were rated an A-plus by Niche. Harriton Senior High School has won two Blue Ribbon School Awards from the Department of Education for its academic excellence. Teens at Harriton can participate in award-winning extracurricular activities such as the Science Olympiad team, which holds 21 state championships. Nearby private school options include the A-plus-rated Haverford School, which serves grades K-12.
Lush parks with access to the Schuylkill River
Just west of Penn Valley is Rolling Hill Park, which features nearly 100 acres of woodlands and meadows for locals to explore. A system of multi-use trails weaves through the park, and the Creek Trail leads down to Mill Creek where the abandoned Barker’s Mill still stands. Further north along the Schuylkill River is Flat Rock Park, which has a boat launch where residents can bring their kayaks or cast their lines into the river. Kids can explore the playground at Sabine Park, which sits along the neighborhood’s southern border on Montgomery Avenue.
Local favorites on Montgomery Avenue
Penn Valley is largely residential. “Unlike Narberth, there is no Penn Valley town center. Residents tend to pick up the necessities via car versus on foot,” LeBow says. The community sits just north of Montgomery Avenue – which acts as Penn Valley’s own business district. “Our office is on Montgomery Avenue. There are some restaurants right there, and the Pub of Penn Valley,” Michels says. A La Mousse is a cozy, French-inspired café known for its homemade desserts, while Kismet Bagels Luncheonette serves fresh bagels paired with specialty schmears like walnut raisin. Residents can pick up groceries at ACME Markets. Further north is Cara de Roma, an intimate Italian restaurant that serves authentic Roman dishes over white tablecloths.
I-76 provides convenient commutes to Center City
Penn Valley is centrally located in Philadelphia’s Main Line, about 2 miles north of U.S. Route 30. Interstate 76 runs parallel to the Schuylkill River along the neighborhood’s northern border. Residents can also head south to Narberth, where the SEPTA station provides train service to Center City, among other places. Center City is Philadelphia’s central business district and is about 12 miles east of Penn Valley. Philadelphia International Airport is about 16 miles southeast.
Annual festivals in Narberth
The Penn Valley Civic Association hosts events like an annual community bike ride, but residents can also easily head south to Narberth. “People are typically going into the borough for those events,” Michels says. Popular festivities include the Narberth Dickens Festival, which is held each December and features period-inspired performers and street vendors from 1840s London.
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Sally Stimpson
