Centered around a historic downtown and a college campus
West Chester, a small borough about 35 miles west of Philadelphia, is defined by its historic downtown area in its center and the expansive campus of West Chester University on the south side. In many ways, it serves as a self-contained city, as residents are able to find shops, restaurants, brand-name grocery stores and plenty of annual events without venturing to the City of Brotherly Love’s busy streets. “West Chester is one of those that people get obsessed with,” says Sean Elstone, a Realtor with Keller Williams Main Line Realty. “It’s beautiful, and it’s in horse country. There’s tons of green space, state parks and it’s easy enough to find on a map.”
West Chester University’s presence on the south side comes in the form of a sweeping campus with most of its central buildings surrounding an open, grassy area for students to hang out. The downtown area celebrates its small businesses with various events throughout the year, and outside of the downtown the area takes on the form of a suburb with expansive lawns and large homes. With a population of nearly 20,000, the city also won the 2017 Great American Main Street Award for the growth and revitalization of the commercial district. “People are totally fanatical about West Chester – people love to say they live in, or are from, West Chester,” Elstone says. “It has a beautiful downtown with a great local food scene.”
Friends gather to eat, drink, and laugh at the Gay Street Open-Air Market.
Gay and High Streets serve as the center of West Chester's lively dining scene.
West Chester University students let off steam with some disc throwing on The Quad.
The local pubs enjoy the increased foot traffic the annual Christkindlmarkt brings.
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Several main streets of shopping and dining
Gay, Chestnut and Market Streets all run parallel to each other in the downtown area, and are all connected by High Street, which runs perpendicular to the trio of thoroughfares. Within the historic area of downtown, residents can find a wide array of boutique shops, craft stores and more. Restaurants fall into a selection of breweries, taverns, grills and cafes. “All of it is in West Chester,” Elstone says of finding shopping or dining. “You don’t have to go anywhere. There are so many restaurants in the center of West Chester, and Market Street has a number of restaurants.” The downtown is its own hub, meaning residents won’t have to venture out to Philadelphia. Historic sites include the Lincoln Building, where the first biography of Abraham Lincoln was published.
Residents can also engage in a mixture of events, be it as small as a karaoke night or as large as street festivals. The Gay Street Open-Air Market was first launched in 2021 and has taken place every year since, where four blocks of Gay Street are shut down from Friday to Monday mornings, each weekend from early May to the end of September. Its aim is to bring the community together, and local stores and restaurants set up shop outdoors for residents to stroll through. Grocery stops include a GIANT in the downtown area and a ShopRite to the east.
Red brick sidewalks contribute to West Chester's hometown feel.
West Chester has many historic sites such as the Lincoln Building on Market Street.
West Chester residents have several grocery options such as ShopRite along Rt 3.
Walking and window shopping are popular pastimes in West Chester.
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Commemorating aviation, music, wine and more
Besides the weekly market extravaganza from spring to early fall, residents have no shortage of other events and landmarks. Less than 5 miles north of the region, the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center has more than 40 aircraft for locals to view, including several that allow visitors to get an inside look. Live music fills the air at the Turks Head Music Festival, which has endured for over 40 years and celebrates music, arts and more.
Wineries are also in the area, with a pair of prominent establishments each less than 10 miles away. “There are a bunch of wineries in the area, and Chaddsford Winery is probably the shining star,” Elstone says. “Longwood Gardens isn’t far away. The area is known for farms and horse farms, so there’s a lot of agriculture.” Residents can get a full experience of the wineries by taking to the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail.
The American Helicopter Museum is a hidden gem known to few outside West Chester.
Chaddsford Winery provides West Chester folks with a fun place to enjoy local wines.
The appeal of the West Chester Grower's Market is the variety of products available.
Live music can be seen and heard along the length of the Gay Street Open-Air Market.
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A city centered around West Chester University
The West Chester Area School District is comprised of 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and three high schools, and Niche gives the district as a whole an A rating. West Chester University’s campus sprawls on the south side of the area, with a central open grassy area surrounded by the school buildings. “It feels a little bit more like a main street USA kind of town, and it’s a university town at the same time,” Elstone says. “West Chester University is the heart and soul of West Chester, and it’s a big factor in employment and student housing.”
The school is more than 150 years old and has an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 15,000, along with around 3,000 postgraduate students. “There’s a lot of longtime residents in the center of town, but downtown, a lot of it is rentals for students,” Elstone says. “A lot are local southeastern Pennsylvania residents that will commute, but you probably have 5,000 to 8,000 students in downtown West Chester.” The school’s notable alumni include First Lady Jill Biden and University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
Brandywine reek runs through West Chester and connects with the Christina River in Delaware.
Some call West Chester a suburb of Philadelphia but it's really a city all its own.
A young family takes advantage of a sunny February day in West Chester.
A four-legged West Chester resident asserts his rights over a stump in Everhart Park.
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Nearby highways, but distant from the city
The West Chester Bypass and Route 202 are the closest major roads. The bypass connects the area with major interstates like 76 and 95, and the closest access to Interstate 95 is around 15 miles south in Wilmington. Getting to Philadelphia by car requires a trip of over 30 miles east. “People are living in West Chester to not have to go to Philadelphia for anything except sports and to use the international airport,” Elstone says. “Generally speaking, they are more likely to go to Delaware than Philadelphia. They’re close enough that they can.” SEPTA public transportation services include buses and trains; for rail travel, residents can head about 5 miles north to the Exton stop. Philadelphia International Airport sits a bit closer than the city itself, just under 25 miles away.
Various park sizes and golf courses
A number of parks are scattered in and around West Chester, ranging from smaller, pocket green spaces to more expansive tracts of land. The private West Chester Golf Club has a nine-hole course on the north side of the city. “They have their own park squares throughout the town, but once you get out of town, golf is everywhere that you look,” Elstone says. “Radley Run Country Club is up there, and there’s Hershey’s Mill Golf Club and White Manor Country Club. Brandywine Creek runs through the middle of West Chester, and it’s attached to that. The Brandywine Museum of Art is beautiful.” The three golf courses are all located less than 10 miles from West Chester, and the creek itself is a tributary of the Christina River.
The West Chester Golf Club is a private venue located just outside the downtown area.
At over 1100 acres, Longwood Gardens is the largest botanical garden in the US.
Everhart Park is a popular destination for fun and events such as Turk's Head Music Festival
The memorial fountain at Marshall Square Park is a West Chester landmark.
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Stately homes and a variety of townhouses
Homes in West Chester have a median selling price of $565,808, which is above the national median cost of $416,700 and significantly higher than the statewide median price. “West Chester is amazing,” Elstone says. “It’s like a ton of those stone, colonial, center-hall, beautiful homes. Everybody ends up with a much larger lot. The further out from Philly you go, the larger the lots get. The average is probably over an acre.”
Properties in the city only stay on market for around two weeks, and housing styles include Cape Cods and ranch-style homes along with the colonials. Single-family homes frequently cost anywhere from $550,000 to $1.5 million, depending on style and acreage. Townhouses are also popular in the area, and commonly cost between $350,000 and $700,000. Others can range into the million-dollar range. “Everybody’s got these big, beautiful trees in their yard, and if you drive three miles in any direction, you pass horse farms,” Elstone says. “I’m telling you, it’s gorgeous.”
On a yearly basis, West Chester receives almost a full foot of rainfall above the national mean, with 49 inches of rain recorded; the United States averages 38. Its 22 inches of snowfall are close to the national average of 28, and it experiences cold winters and warm summers due to its location in the northeastern United States.
Homes in West Chester come in many sizes including townhouses close to downtown.
Single-story ranches and Cape Cods with front yards can been throughout West Chester.
Newer, colonial homes with large yards can be found just outside downtown West Chester.
This modern, contemporary home sits on a large lot very close to downtown West Chester.
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Low crime rates in West Chester
West Chester is considered safer than 27% of cities in the United States, recording 17.36 offenses per 1,000 locals on an annual basis according to FBI data. It records about 34 violent crimes each year, as opposed to 305 property-based offenses.
Written By
Adam Cheek
Photography Contributed By
Jay Ratchford
Video By
Chris Norton
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On average, homes in West Chester, PA sell after 22 days on the market compared to the national average of 58 days. The median sale price for homes in West Chester, PA over the last 12 months is $630,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to this beautiful 4-bedroom, 21⁄2-bath colonial situated on a premium one-acre lot on a quiet cul-de-sac. Just one block from 455+ acres of Natural Lands Trust trails and only 3 miles to town, this home offers the perfect blend of peaceful country living and convenient access. Nearby horse boarding and some of the area’s best riding trails make it ideal for equestrians.Enter through
Welcome to 1413 Lenape Road, an exceptional Cape Cod residence set on more than 2.6 picturesque acres in one of Chester County’s most desirable locations. Offering the perfect balance of privacy, scenic beauty, and convenience, this lovingly maintained home is located within the highly acclaimed Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and just minutes from Kennett Square, Downtown West Chester,
Experience the perfect blend of vibrant town living and modern comfort! This exceptional 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath end-unit townhome offers an unbeatable location just a short stroll or bike ride to downtown West Chester's premier dining, shopping, and entertainment. You will enjoy the tree-lined cul-de-sac street with homes surrounded by sunny green views. Inside beautiful hardwood floors guide you
Like NEW home behind Longwood Gardens, in highly desirable Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. Fully renovated +/-150 year old 3 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath home with new 2-story addition, on lovely property with wooded backdrop that overlooks Pocopson Creek tributary. This home has undergone an extensive, down to the studs, complete renovation, and rebuilt from the outside in, including a 2-story
Strategically repositioned to deliver exceptional value in today’s luxury market, this pre-inspected and extensively refreshed estate offers a rare combination of privacy, transparency, significant recent improvements, and move-in-ready living. Experience the tranquility of a magnificent estate setting while remaining connected to everything the region has to offer. Set on 8.67 acres within an
A remarkably updated and upgraded beauty is turnkey ready and ready as soon as you are. Nestled right in that ultra quiet, yet super convenient corner of East Bradford that connects you to life in the borough without the noise, traffic, and parking stress. This very tranquil setting is the one you've been seeking. Majestic trees, yet plenty of dappled light to filter into your office, bedrooms,
Welcome to 1345 Carolannes Way, a rare 2.3-acre estate homesite in a gated community, offering openspace, privacy, and sweeping views of the Chester County hillside. This lot provides the ideal setting to build a custom legacy property. Homes within the community are thoughtfully spaced, with substantial open space creating a cohesive, estate-level environment. Enjoy gorgeous sunsets and a
Spacious 4-bedroom split level colonial in West Bradford Township, located in the coveted Downingtown School District with a West Chester address and low taxes. Situated on a picturesque 3/4 acre fenced lot with public sewer and water, this home looks cozy and compact from the exterior, but is much more spacious than it appears! Enter to find a beautiful dining room with gorgeous view from the
OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 1-3PM. This bucolic property is perched on a gentle berm and offers a rare blend of refined country living in a private setting within the award-winning Unionville-Chadds Ford School District — just 3 miles from the vibrant shops, restaurants, and charm of downtown West Chester. A picturesque cherry tree-lined drive winds through the property, revealing an impressive 5,600+
Step back in time with this rare historic gem in the heart of the Brandywine Battlefield Historic District. Originally built in 1730 as a tavern, this charming one-bedroom home showcases timeless serpentine stone construction and old world character that history lovers will appreciate. A perc test is being done to see if you can build a new home on the 4 acres and keep the 1 bedroom home as a
Discover the perfect blend of sophisticated living and tranquil privacy in this stunning 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom Elkins Model, tucked away at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the highly sought-after Brandywine River Estates. Set on a wooded hillside where the East and West branches of the Brandywine River meet, this exclusive community of just 53 homes offers one of the most scenic settings in
The one you have been waiting for has arrived! This gorgeous single in the super desirable neighborhood of Rustin Walk is getting ready to hit the market. It features a large covered flagstone front porch, stone and siding exterior, a two car attached garage, hardwood flooring throughout the 1st floor, a large open layout with a beautiful kitchen, upgraded appliances, a walk-in pantry, a 1st
Welcome to 1345 Wooded Knolls — a beautifully maintained colonial tucked into the sought-after Knolls of Birmingham community. Freshly seal-coated driveway, manicured landscaping with new mulch, and a classic colonial facade create outstanding curb appeal that makes a lasting first impression before you ever step inside. From the moment you enter, the hardwood-floored foyer sets an impressive
Welcome to 1345 Carolannes Way, West Chester, PA an opportunity to build a custom estate in Sussex, a private gated community crafted by Hellings Builders, a premier homebuilding company with more than 35 years of experience. Set among the rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley, Sussex offers a rare combination of space, privacy, and architectural distinction in one of the region’s most desirable
Key Features: First-floor Guest Suite // Gourmet Kitchen with quartz countertops // 2-story Family Room with gas fireplace // Owner's Suite Bath with walk-in tiled shower // Laundry Room workstation // This Hawthorne Cottage is a 5 Bed, 3.5 Bath home, featuring an open floorplan and first-floor Guest Suite. Upon entering the home through the double doors, you are greeted by the staircase,
If owning is not in the cards, now is a great time to rent a wonderful End-Unit Carriage Home in Whiteland Woods. Main Floor Living features a large Foyer with Hardwood Floors, Two Story Family Room with wood burning Fireplace with Marble surround & Sliders to the Trex Deck, perfect for entertaining and barbeques. The kitchen is a cook's dream with 42" Cabinets, Corian Counters, ceramic tile
Jefferson at Westtown, great for West Chester University students or for families! We are a luxury apartment community located in historic West Chester, Pennsylvania. We have upgraded all of our unit interiors with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and newly refinished cabinets. In addition, residents will be able to indulge in a resort-style pool, 24 hour fitness center, state of
Terraces of Windon rental! ** new carpeting & fresh paint!! AVAILABLE immediately! Great location, with a well-designed floorplan, a back deck that overlooks a private, wooded setting, as well as a finished basement that offers a fantastic “work from home” space. On the main living level, you’ll enjoy a spacious kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances including a new Bosch
Beckon Collective is the destination for luxury apartments in West Chester. With contemporary designer finishes our spacious studio, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, offer endless comforts to help you love life here. Take advantage of our resort-style amenities or venture out to the exceptional dining and shopping options available with our unparalleled location in Chester County. Contact our office
Recently renovated top to bottom 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom home with off street parking for 2 cars! As you enter the home you will notice the open layout and the brand new flooring. The living room is very large and has plenty of room for your furniture. This opens right up to the brand new eat-in kitchen with white cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, Quartz countertops, a convenient island, and
Live a life you love at Golf Club Apartments in West Goshen in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Choose from studio, 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments for rent, situated close to West Chester Pike for the perfect pairing of both comfort and convenience. When it comes to home, the details matter. Here, thoughtful in-home features like air conditioning and community amenities like a swimming pool help
Looking for an awesome rental. This unique home has beautiful updated kitchen. Family room, dining room and living roomPerfect if you have to work from home. Updated bathroom and 6 bedrooms and sitting area on the second floor. Hardwood floors and open fireplaces.
The Gateway Apartments in West Chester, PA, offers one- and two-bedroom apartments, including two-bedroom with den options. The community features a stunning swimming pool, perfect for lounging or swimming, with a spacious sundeck for relaxation. Additionally, residents can enjoy an outdoor fire pit, three BBQ/picnic areas for entertaining, and Wi-Fi access at both the clubhouse and pool area for
Where Nature, Location & Convenience Unite, at Cambridge Hall Apartments in West Chester, PA!Aside from our ideal location and local conveniences, we have a lot to offer within the 14 acre setting of our Cambridge Hall Apartments community of West Chester, Pennsylvania. Eighty-six percent of our grounds are open land, devoted to landscaping, recreation, pool & parking. Savor the peace and
Explore the Metropolitan East Goshen apartment community in West Chester, PA, and enjoy one of the best locations nestled in East Goshen Township. Featuring spacious floor plans, view more details about our pet-friendly 1- and 2-bedroom apartment rentals, including our luxury East Goshen Estates 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment homes. Located minutes to public transportation and Routes 476,
Welcome to Metropolitan West Goshen, ideally situated in the charming community of West Chester, PA. Our property offers an array of living spaces, including stylish 1-bedroom flats and spacious 2- and 3-bedroom townhomes, each featuring inviting private entrances that provide a sense of home from the moment you arrive.Step inside to discover modern, updated kitchens equipped with all the
Welcome Home to Heather Glen, where convenience and comfort meet. Our West Chester community offers comfortable two-bedroom apartments with amenities like a grilling area, in-home laundry, and off-street parking. Conveniently located near public transportation and along West Chester Pike, Heather Glen is designed with your comfort and convenience in mind.Renting shouldn't
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