Scotland offers small-town tranquility just outside of Chambersburg
The little village of Scotland lines a sleepy main street between the busier Franklin County boroughs of Chambersburg and Shippensburg. “Scotland is one of those areas where you blink and miss it. It’s what I envision in an old country road town. There’s a stop sign intersection, but no traffic light,” says Stacy Mellott, a team leader at Keller Williams with 13 years of experience specializing in south central Pennsylvania and Maryland. “People who have lived there for an eternity might write ‘Scotland’ as their address, but others just say ‘Chambersburg.’ You basically have one foot in Chambersburg.” Back roads and Interstate 81 make it easy to reach the more developed parts of south central Pennsylvania. But within Scotland, a decidedly old-fashioned, smaller-than-a-town lifestyle is the norm. Far from cities like Harrisburg and Baltimore, residents look forward to volunteer-run bingo nights, fishing on the Conococheague Creek and driving to sprawling recreation areas in the Appalachian Mountains.
Historic homes and more modern developments off Scotland Main Street
Scotland Main Street and its oldest side streets are lined with sidewalks and a blend of single-family homes built around the early 1900s. Simple National-style twin homes and American Foursquares stand next to Victorian homes with bay windows or gingerbread trim. These older homes can sell for around $110,000 to $240,000, depending on their condition. Ranch-style homes were built in neighboring subdivisions through the 1960s and 1970s, with more new traditional Colonial Revivals being added from the 1990s into the 2020s. Prices for newer homes range from around $260,000 to $430,000 depending on their age and size. Waterways like the Conococheague Creek can pose flash flood risk after unusually heavy rain. Buyers can consult maps to understand their risk and potential need for flood insurance.
Commuting to south central Pennsylvania hubs and into Maryland
Scotland is about 5 miles from Chambersburg and WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital. The borough of Shippensburg and its namesake university are closer to 10 miles away. Letterkenny Army Depot, a major employer for Franklin County, is about 4 miles from home. Interstate 81 runs east of the village, offering a roughly 60-mile drive to Harrisburg and Harrisburg International Airport. The Maryland state line is about 20 miles away, but it can take more than two hours to reach major cities like Baltimore. No fixed-route public transportation serves Scotland, so residents will need a car to get around.
Attending Chambersburg Area schools
Scotland Elementary School earns a C-plus from Niche. Chambersburg Area Middle School North earns a B-minus, as does Chambersburg Area Senior High School. High schoolers can apply for Chambersburg High’s credit advancement program, which allows them to earn college credit through institutions like Shippensburg University and Harrisburg Area Community College.
Scotland’s community parks and nearby South Mountain recreation
The Scotland Athletic Association’s youth baseball and softball teams play at Scotland Memorial Park. Nearby, anglers cast into the Conococheague Creek. “Greene Township just renovated their community park, that brings people from all over. They’ve done it to the nines,” Mellott says. Some of the updates at Greene Township Park include new playground equipment and updated athletic courts and fields. Just outside Scotland, members tee off on the Chambersburg Country Club’s 18-hole course. The Michaux State Forest stretches along South Mountain, a major ridgeline of the Appalachian range, less than 10 miles from home. Within the state line-spanning recreation area, Caledonia State Park is full of daytrip attractions like an outdoor swimming pool as well as longer-term recreation destinations like campsites near the Appalachian Trail.
Shopping and dining in Scotland and Chambersburg
A small strip mall off Scotland Main Street is the village’s commercial center. Down the mall from a convenience store and laundromat, diners sit down or opt for takeout from Little Vince’s Pizza or Asian Cuisine. Near Interstate 81, there’s a Sportsman’s Warehouse for hunting and fishing gear, some gas stations, a McDonald’s and a Dollar General. Another off-highway business is The Family Cow, a market for organic, locally produced meat, dairy and artisan products. For bigger chains like Target, Giant and Walmart, residents drive less than 5 miles to Chambersburg strip malls.
Small-town community events through Scotland organizations
Each week, regular players hit the Scotland Community Center for Thursday Night Bingo. The Scotland Community Association organizes many other events at the community center, including craft shows and fundraisers for local fire departments and Chambersburg Area School District students. Residents also get together for services at Scotland Fellowship Church.
Large potential development areas around Scotland
There are two large, unused properties just outside of Scotland: the former Chambersburg Mall and the former Scotland School for Veterans’ Children. After closing, the mall was initially expected to transform into a mixed-use retail center. The Scotland School was briefly proposed to become a temporary housing facility for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither property has any active, publicly accessible redevelopment plans in 2025.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
