2019 Best Places to Raise a Family in PennsylvaniaAbout this List

Chesterbrook

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 47 reviews

Current Resident: Before living in Chesterbrook, I lived in Northeast Philadelphia with my four siblings and parents. When I had gotten the news we would be moving to Chesterbrook I was undoubtedly heartbroken as I would be leaving my friends and family behind in Philadelphia. However, after having spent a year living within Chesterbrook, I can say it is one of the safest neighborhoods I have lived in. The area is very family friendly, has amazing schools, and full of color. However, with great areas come downfalls. The lack of diversity within the area is quite disappointing coming from a mid suburban area. The area is also extremely costly due to the conditions of Chesterbrook and is amazing school district, making it difficult to give it a 5/5 rating.
Read 47 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 4,675 Population

Penn Wynne

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 14 reviews

Current Resident: I love living in Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania. I have lived here for the past 15 years and spent elementary, middle, and am currently finishing up high school living in this neighborhood. Many of my friends live here, and I have met many kind people from all over Penn Wynne. Penn Wynne has a small town feeling with all of the benefits of living minutes away from Philadelphia. I love the parks and open spaces that Penn Wynne has to offer. I am not sure where I will live when I am older, but Penn Wynne will always have a special place in my heart.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 5,720 Population

Devon

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 10 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful area with friendly neighbors and close proximity to everything you would ever need. The public and private schools in the area are some of the best in the nation. You can live in a quiet neighborhood with a nice yard and drive 15 minutes to one of the biggest malls in the country.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

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• 1,749 Population

Berwyn

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 26 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Berwyn my whole live, as did my mother, father, and their parents. The community is amazing and unlike anything I've seen - everyone is so welcoming and warm, they all want to be inclusive! The special events throughout the year make the town especially unique - the Turkey Raffle, the Tree Lighting, the Fourth of July parade, they all bring a close-knit community even closer. No matter where life takes me, I hope to always end up back in Berwyn.
Read 26 Reviews

• A+

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• 3,405 Population

Swarthmore

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 11 reviews

Current Resident: Swarthmore offers a surfeit of of opportunities for young families. You have access to some of the highest quality public education in the area, you are a 30 minute train ride into the city of Philadelphia, and are footsteps away from the breathtaking campus of Swarthmore College. There are very few restaurants and not many activities in terms of nightlife. However, a quick trip into the neighboring Media or the city, and this solves the problem. There are cute cafes and little shops to explore, along with many markets on weekends. There is definitely a lack of diversity and the houses aren't cheap, nor are the property taxes. However, the old houses are beautiful.
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 6,243 Population

Ardmore

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 19 reviews

Nearby Resident: Friendly people, walkable neighborhoods, and lots of opportunities for civic engagement. Of course, there’s also the popular suburban square shopping center and lots of restaurants to choose from. Looking forward to overdue renovations of the train station.
Read 19 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 13,193 Population

Mount Lebanon Township

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 79 reviews

Current Resident: This is a wonderful community to live in! The streets are walk-able and everyone is so friendly. I have never felt unsafe or out of place. The town is very liberal and accepting, but there is not that much diversity. Public transportation is wonderful considering the small size of the city. Getting to downtown Pittsburgh is very very easy as there are buses frequently as well as the trolley.
Read 79 Reviews

• A+

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• 32,760 Population

Bradford Woods

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA

• A+

• A+

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• 1,154 Population

Marshall Township

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 34 reviews

Current Resident: I like that we are close to great services, shopping, highways yet it is a safe and quiet community. The public service crew does a great job at keeping the area pretty and clean. The one thing I do not like it the lack of competition for better internet service. Many residents I have spoken are unhappy with the poor internet service. We should let Verizon in!
Read 34 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 8,232 Population

Blue Bell

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 25 reviews

Current Resident: It is not a very walkable town, but considering the close proximity to Ambler and Flourtown there are some good options spread around the area. Wissahickon is a very good district that has its flaws but overall seems to care about its students. There are plenty of parks and nearby outdoor adventures, which is nice! Lots of great stores and restaurants make Blue Bell a nice town to spend time in as well.
Read 25 Reviews

• A+

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• 6,290 Population

Narberth

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 10 reviews

Current Resident: Nice borough in Lower Merion Township near Philadelphia. It has nice shops, restaurants, and a train station. Also its near Suburban Square, King of Prussia Mall, and Valley Forge Park. LMSD is excellent and it has great walkability.
Read 10 Reviews

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• 4,330 Population

Charlestown Township

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 7 reviews

Niche User: The general atmosphere is wonderful in this area! The neighbors always help in times of need such as through storms, shoveling, power outages, and even help with the christmas lights. The overall landscape is also awesome because there are places of woods, hills, grassy flats, big trees, flowery trees, and flowers in general along the street and people's yards. As you go up the street, you're instantly taken back at the beautiful trees and flowers along the road. It draws your eye and automatically makes the place brighter and happier especially in the summer. The fall in my opinion is even better because of the leaves changing colors. I would definitely choose to live here again and so would my family if I asked them the same question. Between the people, landscape, and weather, this area is one of a kind and definitely one of my favorite places to be. I could see this area being somewhat better, but honestly couldn't really imagine how it could get that much better.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

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• 5,705 Population

Franklin Park

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 42 reviews

Current Resident: Franklin Park as a small suburb community that all in all loves to help each other out and give back to one another. most people are extremely friendly, always willing to give a helping hand, and love to build good and healthy relationships with one another. We all like to make the area around us safer, cleaner, healthier, and happier. We take education, and our jobs very seriously. But, with that being said, we all like to come together and have fun too; whether it be at the neighborhood pool or neighborhood park. The standard of living here is amazing.
Read 42 Reviews

• A+

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• 14,301 Population

Lemont

• Town in Pennsylvania
• 3 reviews

Current Resident: Lemont is an artsy, family-friendly little community tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the university. It is within walking distance to great hiking, a coffee shop, art gallery and a wonderful sushi place. If you're in the mood for more shopping and a nightlife, downtown State College is only a 5 minute drive. It is a quiet and safe area filled with outdoorsy and kind locals.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 2,239 Population

Boalsburg

• Town in Pennsylvania
• 11 reviews

Current Resident: It's a safe town, you can walk the streets at night and not worry about your safety. It's just beyond the cusp on the university so it has a small town feel but is merely a few miles outside the main campus.
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A+

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• 4,533 Population

Houserville

• Town in Pennsylvania
• 12 reviews

Current Resident: Very clean, quaint, charming neighborhood of State College, PA. Voted #3 in best places to live in the United States. Great public schools, very close to Penn State University. Cata bus allows for easy commute to downtown State College.
Read 12 Reviews

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• 2,019 Population

Birmingham Township

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA

• A+

• A+

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• 4,202 Population

Upper St. Clair

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 32 reviews

Current Resident: Probably the best place to grow up as a kid and or raise kids in the Pittsburgh area. The USC schools are a great place to learn and have ample opportunities for kids, and just about any neighborhood is safe and friendly. USC does fall short by having to drive around to get to just about anything, and some people are way too sheltered from outside the USC bubble. With that being said, overall USC is a safe and friendly community.
Read 32 Reviews

• A+

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• 19,524 Population

Fox Chapel

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 14 reviews

Niche User: The High school's renovations were incredibly. Along with new shops and restaurants at the waterworks mall and a new park openning along the river, my neighborhood has really boosted in the past few years!
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

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• 5,363 Population

Park Forest Village

• Town in Pennsylvania
• 10 reviews

Current Resident: Established, "Suburban" neighborhood that is less than 4 miles to Penn State's University Park campus by multiple bicycle paths and routes. The neighborhood features multiple parks, a mature forest canopy, and a mixture of house sizes and styles to suit family needs. Easy access to the area's entertainment and shopping. The neighborhood is a frequent destination for joggers and many residents bicycle commute. The neighborhood is known for holiday night displays and is a great place to raise a family.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

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• 9,737 Population

Edgeworth

• Suburb of Pittsburgh, PA
• 14 reviews

Current Resident: Edgeworth is a picturesque community within walking distance of it's own elementary school, shopping, high school and the local YMCA.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

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• 1,826 Population

Montgomeryville

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 30 reviews

Niche User: The atmosphere and aura of this neighborhood is outstanding. The neighbors were friendly and welcoming even before we moved in! It is mainly families in this neighborhood but the kids are never too noisy. If I could do the process over again, I would still want my parents to chose this neighborhood to live in. Although we moved in when i was 10, this home means more to me than the one we were in before. After living in a small townhouse, it is so refreshing being in this neighborhood. Big, beautiful trees cascading over children playing in the yards. In the future, I believe more and new families will continue to move here. This will always be a joyful and welcoming place to live.
Read 30 Reviews

• A+

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• 13,370 Population

Chadds Ford Township

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 7 reviews

Current Resident: Chadds Ford is a lovely location and rich with history. You can visit the site of the Brandywine Battlefield where George Wahington and the Marquis de lafayette fought off the British in 1777. You can visit the Brandywine River Art Museum which celebrates local artists such as the Wyatts and of course you can step outside to the Brandywine Creek State Park to appreciate the beauty of nature which inspired their paintings. There are some quaint and well-established local wineries and even some wineries! Of course, there's also the typical suburban sprawl and chain stores and restaurants but it's a very safe and family-friendly place to be.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

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• 3,725 Population

Radnor Township

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 39 reviews

Current Resident: I am a student at Radnor High School and have been through Radnor's public schools. I can say that they provided me with superb education. I also am a resident in Radnor and it is very safe. I see Radnor police all the time especially near the schools. The main town in Radnor is always very clean and well kept. It is no surprise that it is expensive to live in Radnor.
Read 39 Reviews

• A+

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• 31,710 Population

East Marlborough Township

• Suburb of Philadelphia, PA
• 9 reviews

Niche User: Very welcoming area no matter where you move into. Friendly hellos and smiles. I would definitely buy a home in the area. Only place I like better to live in is Oxford Area school district in Oxford, Pennsylvania.
Read 9 Reviews

• A+

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• 7,261 Population