Newport Township is a growing rural community next to Nanticoke
Incorporated in 1790 along the Susquehanna River, Newport Township is a rural, mostly residential enclave just outside Nanticoke in Luzerne County. “The Newport Township community is, all around, very tight-knit, and everyone looks out for each other,” says Carl Wilcox, a local real estate agent with Pinnacle Real Estate & Property Mgmt. “Nanticoke—which is partly in the township—has added probably 12-plus factories in the last five to seven years, so there’s been a lot of growth in that area. I predict that there’s going to be a greater demand for housing in surrounding areas like Newport in the coming years as more and more people want to be closer to work.” Newport Township is made up of several smaller communities in addition to part of Nanticoke: Alden, Glen Lyon, Lee Ridgeview, Sheatown and Wanamie. Despite its rural nature, Newport Township is not completely cut off from bigger cities, as U.S. Route 11 parallels the river to the north and Interstate 81 only a few miles to the east. The township has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 3 out of 10, slightly lower than the national average score of 4.
Renovated homes and new construction projects underway
As next-door Nanticoke and the Newport Township area continue to grow, more homes are being listed for sale and more new community construction projects are in the works. “We’ve yet to see a bunch of brand-new buildings in the township at this point in time, but rather we’re seeing a lot of the existing homes being renovated or torn down completely and rebuilt,” Wilcox says. Potential homebuyers can find single-family investment properties and fixer-uppers for as low as $50,000. Meanwhile, turnkey single-family homes range from approximately $140,000 to $220,000. Common housing styles include American Foursquares, ranch-style dwellings and older homes with traditional architecture. Multi-acre properties are generally located in more rural parts of the township farther from communities like Glen Lyon and Sheatown.
Zoning for Greater Nanticoke Area schools
Students residing in Newport Township are zoned for the Greater Nanticoke Area School District, which receives an overall C-minus rating from Niche. There are four schools total in the district that make up the complete K-12 pipeline: Kennedy Early Childhood Center serves kindergarten through second-grade students and has no Niche rating yet. Those in grades three through five can attend the Greater Nanticoke Area Elementary Center, while grades six through eight head to the Greater Nanticoke Area Educational Center. Both schools are rated C-minus. Secondary students are served by the C-rated Greater Nanticoke Area High School. For higher education opportunities, Luzerne County Community College is located in Nanticoke. “The pulse of Nanticoke is really centered around the community college,” Wilcox says. “The college has put a lot of investment into that area, brought in businesses and built new buildings like the Geisinger healthcare clinic.”
Outdoor activities include trail and river access
The township’s rural setting makes it an ideal location for outdoor recreation and access to natural areas. Newport Township Recreation Area is located in the community of Wanamie and includes a Little League baseball field complex, soccer fields, tennis courts and access to the Penobscot Ridge Mountain Bike Trail. “There are lots of walking and hiking trails all over the place here, but there is an especially large number of quad trails for ATVs and off-roading vehicles,” Wilcox says. “It’s a very outdoorsy area in that aspect, and the off-roading trails are a big part of the community. You can throw a rock and hit a quad trail.” Wilcox adds that kayaking and boating on the Susquehanna River are popular activities as well. He notes that for recreation outside the township, residents are roughly 20 minutes from Pinchot State Forest and a 30-minute drive from Moon Lake.
Limited shopping and dining options in Nanticoke
Shopping and dining amenities in Newport Township are limited to a handful of local restaurants, including Mil & Jim’s Parkway Inn and R Bar and Grill. Nanticoke has a handful of additional eateries, boutique stores, small businesses and even some chain retailers like Dollar General, CVS and Weis Markets for groceries. And Wilcox points out that within 20 minutes, residents can access big-box stores and urban commercial amenities in Wilkes-Barre.
Newport Township is a car-dependent community
Newport Township is a heavily car-dependent community. Even so, the township’s rural nature means that there are hardly any paved roads in the community. The main thoroughfare that passes through the township is Route 3004, which begins as West Main Street and then changes to West Kirmar Avenue. There are only a few other paved roads that branch off the route, and the rest are backcountry dirt and gravel roads. However, Main Street also intersects with US Route 11 just west of town and across the Susquehanna River and with state Route 29 to the east. The nearest airport, Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, is 22 miles away. Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre has a 24-hour emergency department, and is located 10 miles from Newport Township.
