York Township’s Baltimore suburb boom and preserved pastoral beauty
About 3,500 people lived in the farming community of York Township in 1940; less than a century later, the now suburban community's population has increased nearly tenfold. While much of this growth is thanks to the single-family subdivision boom that’s come to southern Pennsylvania’s Interstate 83 corridor since the 1990s, it’s also due to the attractive country roads, community events and rural recreation destinations that continue to roll along the hillsides of southern York County. “York Township has become a bedroom community for Baltimore County, without all the headache of the Baltimore Beltway,” says Debbie McLaughlin, a Realtor with Cummings and Co. Realtors who has served northern Baltimore County and southern York County for 30 years. “There are lots of sports for kids, especially through Dallastown Area schools, some great golf courses and a number of parks. People are always out doing something; there are activities that appeal to folks of all ages.”
Generations of suburban development in rural York County
Some of the oldest single-family homes in York Township date back to the turn of the 20th century. However, the community’s initial suburban boom after World War II means that midcentury ranch-style and split-level houses pocket more quiet country roads and neighborhood streets. New Traditional homes are especially common, built in newer communities from the late 1980s through the 2020s. Buyers can also find a handful of townhouse developments, despite the popularity of detached styles. Outside cul-de-sac developments, historic farmhouses and modern custom builds might be surrounded by acres of forests and farmland. Varied housing stock makes for varied prices; a manufactured home can sell for $30,000, while especially sprawling contemporary construction might cost over $1.2 million. According to a Homes.com calculation, which uses a combination of estimate data, the average home value in York Township was around $370,000 in late 2025.
Technical education through the Dallastown Area School District
York Township is served by the Dallastown Area School District, which earns an A-minus from Niche. Kids might attend kindergarten through third grade at a few elementary schools, including B-plus-rated York Township Elementary School. Dallastown Area Intermediate School serves fourth through sixth grades and also scores a B-plus. Dallastown Area Middle School gets a B. At A-minus-rated Dallastown Area High School, juniors and seniors can enroll in the York County School of Technology part-time career education programs.
Recreation at township, county and private parks
York Township maintains several classic community parks, the jewel of which is York Township Community Park. More structured amenities like athletic fields and Kid’s Kingdom playground settle uphill from tranquil, woodsy walking paths along a shallow creek. The Golden Connections Community Center hosts exercise classes and nutrition services for the area’s seniors. Cyclists pedal through tunnels and the forests that frame Codorus Creek along the Heritage Rail Trail, accessible near the soccer fields at Stump Park. William H. Kain County Park and Richard M. Nixon County Park curve along the township’s southwestern corner, where visitors might explore miles of forested hiking trails or kayak in Lake Redman. Heritage Hills Golf Resort offers an 18-hole course, while Bridgewater Golf Club hosts shorter 9-hole games.
Rural restaurants, Red Lion and strip mall shopping
Locally owned businesses and chains pepper York Township’s countryside and come together in denser commercial strips. Visitors stop to pet the cows before purchasing fresh milk and ice cream at Perrydell Farm and Dairy. Diners can enjoy American cuisine at the comforting, diner-style Lion’s Pride Restaurant or sit at the ornate, lacquered wooden bar next door at the Great American Saloon. In the boroughs of Red Lion and Dallastown, shoppers walk through small downtowns to browse specialty businesses like the vinyl-packed Tom’s Music Trade. Queensgate Towne Center, South York Value Center and other strip malls cluster near the confluence of Queen Street and I-83. There, locals can find more chain restaurants and grocery anchors like Price Rite Marketplace and Weis Markets.
Traveling around York County, commuting to Baltimore
The city of York is roughly 5 miles from York Township. Depending on their address, residents might be several miles or a single mile from county seat hubs like WellSpan York Hospital. “In my experience, I’ve noticed a lot of the neighborhoods in York Township are populated with doctors and other medical personnel because of how close it is to York Hospital,” McLaughlin says. Although most residents rely on cars, the 10S rabbittransit bus also stops along Queen Street between Red Lion and several York city stops. Baltimore commuters take I-83 south for about 50 miles. Harrisburg International Airport is around 35 miles from home.
Holiday traditions with York Township’s recreation department
Locals get together for seasonal festivities throughout the year. In October, first responders and families meet at the York Township Municipal Complex for the fair-style activities at Fall Fun Fest and Touch a Truck. In the spring, kids take part in age-group-specific Easter egg hunts throughout the afternoon, before adults and teens get in on the fun later in the evening. Houses of worship like Bridgeway Community Church and Temple Beth Israel hold religious services throughout York Township.
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Written By
Julia Szymanski
