Palmyra Township offers a rural retreat for Tri-State Area residents
Located along the shores of Lake Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania’s rural Palmyra Township is a community centered around outdoor experiences. “It’s a lot of state forest, woods and nature,” says Debbie Friese, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Lakeview Realtors. “People come here for fishing, hiking, camping and secondary homes. Many of them work from home part-time or full-time.” More than 3,300 people reside in Palmyra, living in nature-immersed cabins or in larger homes along the lakeshore.
Palmyra's population and housing stock continue to grow
Much of Palmyra Township was developed during the latter half of the 20th century, although there are a handful of homes built from the 1910s to the 1940s. Small cabins and cottages can sell for between $120,000 and $300,000, while lakeside condos go for between $240,000 and $630,000. Smaller chalets have attained sale prices between $300,000 and $600,000, while larger and newer ones sell for between $630,000 and $1,030,000. Subdivisions like Tanglewood Lakes include plenty of 2000s builds, while properties tend to get older closer to the lake. “People are coming here from New York and New Jersey, and it’s a continual trend,” Friese says. “When 2020 happened, it didn’t slow anything down.” Palmyra Township has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
A large lake and local parks offer outdoor exploration opportunities
The 5,700-acre Lake Wallenpaupack serves as Palmyra Township’s main destination for outdoor recreation. The lake is open for kayaking, jet skiing and other boating activities, while its shores are home to wooded hiking trails and campsites. “It’s the second-largest lake in the state, and there are an additional four islands you can navigate your way to, depending on the size of the boat ramp,” Friese says. Palmyra Township Public Beach lets residents go swimming in lake during the summer months. Located at Palmyra’s southern edge, the 3,000-acre Promised Land State Park offers its own selection of trails, campgrounds and winding waterways to boat on. State Game Lands Number 183 provides hunters, trappers and anglers with a venue for their hobbies. The Paupack Hills Golf Course and its lakeside greens are open to the public.
Diverse restaurants honor a hometown hero and serve diverse dishes
Palmyra Township’s lakefronts are lined with local shops and restaurants, including the 507 Country Store deli and The Wake Zone brewery next door. At this taproom, customers can socialize over both drinks and games of indoor golf. Lake Wallenpaupack Road is also home to The Boat House, which specializes in surf-and-turf dishes. The Ringside Fire Grill pizzeria commemorates local boxer Billy Soose through its name, a large mural and its location; it was built on the site of a bar and restaurant that Soose founded after serving in World War II.
B-plus-rated education at most Wallenpaupack schools
Students can start their education at the Wallenpaupack North Primary School, which receives a B-plus from Niche, before attending the B-rated Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School and Wallenpaupack Area Middle School. The B-plus-rated Wallenpaupack Area High School enables its students to get hands-on experience in the aviation and culinary trades through its CTE programs.
Interstate access to nearby urban centers
Interstate 84 runs through southern Palmyra Township, connecting this rural community with Scranton 31 miles to the west and Port Jervis the same distance to the east. The nearest health care center, the Wayne Memorial Hospital, sits 20 miles up the Owego Turnpike.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
