Southampton Township in Franklin Country has a slow pace of life
Southampton Township in Franklin County is a rural community about 8 miles from Chambersburg . “The reason most people are attracted to this area is because it’s a smaller town with a slower pace of life,” says Krista Carroll, lifelong resident and Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “We’re not sitting at traffic lights.” In fact, locals are more likely to be stuck behind a horse-and-buggy because, according to Carroll, Southampton is “in the throes” of the Amish and Mennonite communities. The town of Shippensburg separates Southampton Township in Franklin County from its counterpart in Cumberland County.
Southampton Township in Franklin County has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Community parks include a nature center and a historic place
Furnace Run Park is a new addition to the community. Southampton Township purchased the site in 2017 and turned it into a nature park with over 6 miles of hiking trails and a nature center that hosts family-friendly programming like educational birding tours. At Dykeman Park, walking paths pass a baseball field, two ponds and Dykeman Springs, on the National Register of Historic Places. “There are always ducks and geese on the ponds,” Carroll says. Dentler Village Park has a playground, a horseshoe pit and basketball and volleyball courts.
Homes range from older Colonial Revivals to new bilevels
Winding roads go through acres of farmland and rolling hills in Southampton. The oldest homes include cottages and Colonial Revivals dating back to the early 1900s, and there are ranch-style houses built between the mid-20th century and early 2000s. Bilevels and New Traditional homes make up the newest additions to the township. Depending on size and condition, most homes cost $200,000 to $450,000. Larger properties generally cost $450,000 to $750,000. “I have noticed that bigger homes take longer to sell,” Carroll says. She attributes this to homeowners ensuring these more expensive homes check all their boxes. “It has to be perfect.” Manufactured homes cost $60,000 to $160,000, while townhouses near Shippensburg range from $200,000 to $300,000.
According to First Street, Southampton Township has a major risk from flooding.
Students attend well-rated Shippensburg Area Schools
The Shippensburg Area School District serves Southampton Township. Kindergarteners through third graders attend Nancy Grayson Elementary, which receives a B-minus from Niche. Fourth and fifth graders go to the B-rated Shippensburg Area Intermediate School. Shippensburg Area Middle scores a B-minus, while the high school earns a B. Shippensburg Area Senior High participates in Shippensburg University’s Ship Start program, where 11th and 12th graders take college courses at a discounted tuition rate. The university is about 5 miles away and has over 100 undergraduate programs.
U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81 lead to Chambersburg and major cities
Southampton residents rely on cars. Interstate 81 and U.S. Route 11 connect the township to Chambersburg. Harrisburg International Airport is about 55 miles away and has nonstop flights to 17 cities. “If we’re going to fly somewhere bigger, we fly out of Baltimore , but some people go to Philly,” Carroll says. Baltimore-Washington International Airport is 110 miles away, while Philadelphia International Airport is about a 150-mile drive. The closest emergency room is at WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, about 10 miles away, but there is a WellSpan Urgent Care in Shippensburg.
Residents eat at Shippensburg restaurants and shop at local farms
Locals travel to Shippensburg for a bite to eat. At Jane’s Art of Pie Cafe, the menu includes pastries, desserts and heartier dishes like chicken pot pie. Nonna Ilva is an Italian restaurant with specialty pizzas like Prosciutto e Burrata. Maxie’s Brew House is a microbrewery that serves pub food and hosts events like weekly trivia and concerts. It used to be a popular college bar called Maxie’s Bar, and Carroll says it has a sense of nostalgia for locals.
While Shippensburg has grocery chains like Weis Markets and Walmart, residents find local options in Southampton. Mount Rock Orchards manages one of many roadside stands with fresh fruits and veggies in the township. “There are farmstands on every road,” Carroll says. Maplewood Farm Market has a deli, greenhouse and local produce. There is also a cafe with coffee, breakfast and ready-to-eat sandwiches. Big-box stores like Target are in Chambersburg, about 8 miles away.
