Downtown matters in this suburb 8 miles outside Philadelphia
Known as the downtown portion of Hadden Township, Westmont attracts young professionals with its quality homes, nightlife and outdoor activities. “Westmont is one of the most well-established parts of Haddon Township and a great place to live if you like walking to bars and restaurants,” says Suzanne Hoover, a 15-year veteran Realtor with Compass New Jersey LLC. “People who live near Cooper River Park have the best of both worlds. They can cycle or walk along the river and then go downtown for a concert or pub crawl.”
Westmont is also 8 miles outside of Philadelphia. “We’re so close to the Philadelphia airport,” Hoover says, “that I tell people not to call until they land. The airport is only 20 minutes away.” Hoover’s husband is from Haddon Township, and the couple moved here after she graduated high school. She fell in love with the township’s small-town feel. “His senior class was 125; mine was 1,200. I raised my children here, and they practically got a private education.” For people looking for a friendly, active and social community to call home, Westmont fits the bill.
Reunion Hall in Westmont features over 20 select beers on tap.
Jog around the Cooper River and enjoy the sunset in Westmont.
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Westmont shops, pubs and community events
The mile-long stretch of Haddon Avenue that comprises the Westmont downtown features blocks of walkable small businesses like Sattler’s HO Trains and Hobbies or Phidelity Records next door. Gas stations, strip malls and stand-alone stores with parking lots make the downtown car-friendly, too. “At dusk, you’ll see young people out along Haddon Avenue going for a bite to eat or a cocktail,” Hoover says. “Collingswood to our east and Haddonfield to our west are dry, so we have our fair share of partiers in town.” Favorite watering holes like Tom Fischer’s Tavern, The Pour House and Reunion Hall often participate in pub crawls when the town celebrates holidays or special occasions like Saint Patrick’s Day.
Haddon Square next to the former site of the Westmont Theatre, now a Planet Fitness, is a focal point of activity downtown where community events are held, such as the Haddon Township Music Festival in October. The Westmont Farmers Market is held on Stratford Avenue in the same area on Wednesday evenings from May to October.
Shoppers will find an ACME Markets on East Cuthbert Boulevard south of downtown. Farther south, Westmont Plaza offers a Sprouts Farmers Market, a Target department store and a dozen more businesses and restaurants. Also nearby is the Ritz Theatre. Built in 1927 as a vaudeville theatre, the Ritz produces Broadway musicals, serious dramas and children’s plays. It also hosts summer theatre camps and dramatic workshops for children and adults.
The mile long stretch of Haddon Avenue in the Westmont downtown features blocks of small businesses like Phidelity Records.
Tom Fischer's Tavern is a Westmont staple for a drink amongst friends.
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Hot housing market with high potential returns
The median home price in Westmont is $450,000, slightly higher than the U.S. national median. Nearly half the homes here are colonial-style houses, some with Tudor-style entrances and others with Dutch-colonial rooflines. Most are well-maintained and feature hardwood floors, built-in cabinetry, family rooms and large backyards. Cape Cods, ranch-style homes and split-levels can also be spotted throughout Westmont. Many have finished basements and attached garages. Condo and townhouse developments are near commercial centers like Haddon Avenue, within walking distance of shopping, commuter trains and buses. “I always guarantee people that whatever they put into their house, they’ll get back,” Hoover says. “Housing values always go up in Westmont, and that money is there for you when you want to leave. Homes have sold in one day, some for $90,000 over the asking price. The housing market here is fabulous.”
Ranch style homes in Westmont often have private driveways, but plenty of street parking is available.
2 story colonials sit on corner lots in Westmont with fenced in yards, perfect for kids and pets.
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From riverfront recreation to sports complexes
One of the popular recreational areas in Westmont is Cooper River Park, a green space to walk dogs, ride bikes or stroll with an infant. The park runs along Park Avenue on the north edge of town. Kayakers and boaters have river access farther west in Collingswood or across the river in Cherry Hill.
Newton Lake Park south and west of downtown also has walking trails and is pet friendly. The Crystal Lake Pool is south and one of several sports complexes in the area. It features pools for adults, lap swimmers and young children, such as a splash pool. The Recchino Fields nearby offer a baseball complex and football stadium. Green Valley Tennis Club across the street has leagues, social activities and a heated bubble for winter play.
Saddler’s Woods is a conservation area that was purchased by Haddon Township in 1999. Its old-growth forest was so covered with poison ivy that the preserve’s conservation association brought 40 goats to the area to eat through the invasive plants. Poison ivy, it turns out, does not affect goats; in fact, they like the taste. Saddler’s Woods is also where the town holds its annual Enchanted Pumpkin Walk during Halloween.
Set out a blanket and enjoy a picnic on a nice day in Westmont at Cooper River Park.
Cooper River Park celebrates 100 years paths for walking, jogging, and cycling in Westmont.
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Transportation and other resources for Westmont residents
Westmont is one of the few towns in South Jersey with easy access to three PATCO stations on the high-speed rail line into Philadelphia. The Westmont station is near downtown, with Haddonfield and Collingswood stations no more than a mile away in either direction. NJ Transit provides bus service locally and into Philadelphia. “Buses run along the major roadways here. You don’t have to have a car to live in Haddon Township,” Hoover says. U.S. 30 takes drivers into Center City, and U.S. 130 runs north-south and connects with major highways like Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike.
Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is about 3 miles west on Haddon Avenue. The 410-bed medical center offers pediatric and adult emergency care, advanced cardiac care, minimally invasive robotic surgery, stroke care and maternity care.
The William G. Rohrer Memorial Library on MacArthur Boulevard is the Haddon Township Branch of the Camden County Library System. Library services include curbside pickup, take-home Chromebooks and mobile hotspot device checkouts, free passes to nearby museums and nature centers, and mobile printing for residents with member accounts.
Above-average Haddon Township schools
The Haddon Township School District serves Westmont and receives a B-plus from Niche. The district operates five elementary, one middle and one high school. Students at Rohrer Middle School can receive extra support in key academic and life skills areas through the district’s Learning Extension and Advisory Period (or LEAP) classes. What I Need (or WIN) classes help middle schoolers get assistance with specific assignments or subjects they struggle with. At Haddon Township High School, students who score straight As in one marking period are recognized at academic dinners held four times a year. “The high school is also known for its championship sports teams and extracurricular activities, including performing arts programs,” Hoover says.
Westmont students can also attend Paul VI High School, a regional secondary school operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden with an enrollment of approximately 1,000. By contrast, Haddon Township High School’s graduating class is under 200. The nearest college is Camden County College, 5 miles west.
William A Rohrer Middle School gets a B+ rating from Niche in Westmont.
Haddon Twp High School in Westmont, New Jersey prepares students for higher education.
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Westmont crime and climate numbers
According to New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting data, crime incidents in Haddon Township rose in 2023 by 33 percent, mostly due to a rise in reports of crime related to non-violent larceny or theft without personal harm or injury. Westmont residents experience all four seasons with an annual precipitation of 45 inches.
Decade-long redevelopment of Haddon Avenue
Haddon Township’s downtown didn’t always look the way it does today. The marquee on the Westmont Theater was relit several years ago when Planet Fitness moved in and retained the historic façade. Haddon Towne Center was also opened, a $52-million, seven-building apartment complex that replaced the former Dy-Dee Diaper laundry site on Haddon Avenue, which created more living space for people downtown. City planners and residents also requested that street-level retail stores be added to the apartment buildings, which helped the new complex blend into the walkable downtown atmosphere.
Haddon Towne Center opened a $52-million, seven-building apartment complex in Westmont.
The marquee on the Westmont Theater was relit several years ago when Planet Fitness moved in and retained the historic façade.
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