The Town Of Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Downingtown is a relatively small town located in Chester County, PA. It is considered to be a suburb of Philadelphia. In many ways, this is the classic all-American town. It’s large enough to offer plenty of activities and opportunities for social interaction, but it’s rural and sparsely-populated enough to avoid that crowded feeling that many people get in large cities.
Overall, Downingtown has been ranked as one of the best places to live in America. It’s listed as the 4,342nd-best place to live, which is a lot better than it sounds. Pennsylvania alone has about 939 towns and boroughs, so ranking in the top 10,000 for the entire nation places Downingtown in the top tier of desirable places to move.
Property Values In Downingtown, PA
In many cases, small towns like this have higher property values. This is a simple result of supply and demand. There are many people who want to get out of the cities to avoid all the filth, crime, and endless noise. However, towns like this would be ruined if too many people swarmed in at one time. By controlling the granting of building permits, local authorities create a smaller supply of new homes in this area. Because the demand is still high, prices are driven up.
The median home price in Downingtown is about $335,000. When we compare that to the national median value, we can see that homes in Downingtown are somewhat expensive. The national average is about $229,000, which is a significant difference.
Crime Rates In Downingtown
Before moving into a new town or neighborhood, it’s always a good idea to check the crime rate. This will give you an idea about how safe you and your family will be in this place. In general, high-crime areas should be avoided. It doesn’t do a lot of good to buy a nice home if you constantly have to worry about being robbed (or worse).
Thankfully, Downingtown doesn’t have a very high crime rate. Like most small towns, they tend to have a few crimes committed here and there, but the overall rate is very low. However, certain neighborhoods have a lot more crime than others, which is also common.
If you look at the map in the link above, you will see that most of Downingtown’s crimes happen in two particular areas: The Borough Center and Gallagherville. Some of the surrounding areas (Thorndale and Ackworth) have a little more crime due to their proximity to these two high-crime areas, but the rest of the city has an extremely low crime rate.
Unfortunately, these two neighborhoods throw off the average for the whole town, making it look as if this place has a lot more crime than it actually does. In terms of violent crime, Downingtown is way below the national average. When we look at these stats, we can see that most of the crime in Downingtown is property crime (theft, larceny, etc.).
If you choose to move to Downingtown, we would advise you to take caution when traveling through any of the four areas mentioned above, especially the first two. These places are not super-dangerous, but you are more likely to be victimized there. Still, there is no need to be paranoid: Just take some common-sense measures to protect yourself and your family, and always keep a watchful eye on your surroundings. Remember: If something feels wrong, it probably is wrong.
Things To Do In Downingtown
In spite of its relatively small size, Downingtown has quite a few things to do. One of our favorites is the Downingtown Rock Gym. No, this isn’t just an ordinary gym; It’s a rock-climbing center where climbers of all ages and skill levels can have a blast. You can show up, pay a small admission fee, and climb whatever you please. If you are a little more serious about it, you can sign up for classes and pick up a rewarding and enjoyable new hobby.
Another great place to visit is the Downingtown Diner. This is perhaps the most famous place in town, as it is meant to commemorate a famous film. The 1958 version of “The Blob” was filmed in and around Downingtown, and the original Downingtown Diner was featured in the movie. Unfortunately, the original diner was sold and moved to a new location. However, the movie brought so many tourists to Downingtown that the town saw fit to open a new diner at the same location. According to most reviews, this place has great food and a very endearing old-school atmosphere.
If you like parks, you will surely love this town. There are different parks in Downingtown, with Kardon Park being the biggest by far. To be fair, part of Kardon Park is outside of city limits, but we’re not too concerned about that. This park was in the news last year, as it was involved in a dispute between developers and the city authorities. Basically, the developers wanted to build in the park, and the city council/mayor was opposed to the idea. Thankfully, the developers lost, leaving this park free and ready for your enjoyment.
The smaller parks like Marinelli, Kerr, and Samuel Tabas may not be as big as Kardon, but they offer much the same level of enjoyment. All of these parks give you a place where you can enjoy the beauty of nature and gather with like-minded individuals in the community. Sure, you could just drive out to the country, but this is much more convenient.
Many people have remarked upon the cleanliness of these public parks. As we already mentioned, Downingtown has a lot of parks for such a small town. As this is one of the most distinctive features of the town, the city authorities are motivated to keep them well-run. Besides, these parks provide a decent amount of tourism income, and this town doesn’t have a lot of that.
Shopping In Downingtown
Shopping in Downingtown is a little better than we would have expected. Most people would expect a little town like this to be a place where few businesses would go. However, they would be wrong. Downingtown has pretty much all of the big retail franchises that would be found anywhere else, but most of the good shopping spots are concentrated along East Lancaster Avenue, as we can see from this map.
A lot of people find it convenient to do most of their shopping along a single road. Although it might be difficult for those who live far from the downtown area, it will save you a lot of driving between different locations. Here is a quick list showing some of the unique businesses that are to be found in this city:
- Saint James Thrift Shop
- Mill Town Square
- Loweriders Bikes And Boards
- Studio 3
- Roberts Auto Mall
- Gfell Upholstery
- Red Sparrow Tattoo
- Pook & Pook Auctioneers
The Climate In Downingtown
As you might guess from its temperate location, Downingtown has very mild climate. When we look at some detailed climate data about this town, we can see that (on average) its highest annual temperature is 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit. This is pretty high, but it only reaches this kind of temperature during July, with June and August being almost as warm.
As for the winter, Downingtown’s lowest annual temperature (on average) is 24.8 degrees Fahrenheit, which is only seen in December. What we see here is a weather profile that fits with the geographical location of this place, which suggests that the weather is predictable and consistent. For most of the year, temperatures are quite moderate. There will be a few months out of the year in which it will be hot or cold, but most months will see a nice happy medium.
Thankfully, we can see some good news when we look at the rainfall graph. Downingtown doesn’t get a whole lot of rain, but it doesn’t often experience drought, either. By a happy coincidence, the rainiest months of the year are June, July, and August. This should help to balance out the hot temperatures that seem to be common during these months. It is a fact that moisture in the air can lower the temperature by up to 30 degrees, thanks to a phenomenon known as evaporative cooling. There’s no need to get into a whole lot of science here, but all you need to know is that water always stays 20-30% cooler than the surrounding air. Thus, more moisture in the air leads to a lower temperature.
The 4 Best Communities In Downingtown
Although Downingtown is a fine place to live, certain areas are definitely more desirable than others. We have already mentioned that most of Downingtown’s problems are concentrated in a couple of places. As such, we feel that we should be fair and tell you about the four nicest communities in the city.
East Village
This is a beautiful and well-manicured community located on the eastern outskirts of town. At first glance, this place looks like the ideal suburban neighborhood. One great thing is the fact that this community is very pedestrian-friendly. There are sidewalks and footpaths everywhere, making it unnecessary to use a car for short trips. There aren’t a lot of parks in this area, but there does seem to be a lot of green space. When it comes to recreation, this area has a lot to offer: A community pool, a fitness/community center, and easy access to the nearby golf course.
The Estates At Hideaway Farms
This is a luxury community located in the East Brandywine area. Located in the affluent and low-crime northern part of town, The Estates offer all you could ever want in terms of high-end living. One thing we love about this community is the variability of the homes. Some new housing communities tend to build every home in an identical (or near-identical) fashion. Even if the homes are very nice, there is something vaguely disturbing about a neighborhood where all the houses look alike. The homes here tend to be pretty expensive, ranging from $600,000 to $650,000. Still, the website says that these homes have all been sold, so people are evidently finding them to be worth the money.
The Preserve At Hideaway Farms
This is a different section of the Hideaway Farms area, and it is distinct from the others in a few ways. As the name implies, this place is more like a true hideaway. You have a lot more green space, a lot more trees, and a lot more uninhabited space in general. For those who seek a little bit more privacy, this is a great community. The homes in this area are also a lot cheaper than those in the estate area, ranging from 340,000 to 390,000.
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The Traditions At Hideaway Farms
This is another section of Hideaway Farms, and this one is meant for those who like old-school homes. While these homes are not very old, they are built using traditional methods that are not often seen these days. If you are always saying that “they don’t build ’em like they used to,” this neighborhood is for you. Home prices are pretty high, but still in the middle of the other two Hideaway Farms communities.
Conclusion
Downingtown, Pennsylvania could well be described as a nice little slice of Americana that has retained the advantages of a small community while also creating enough economic growth to provide for its residents. All in all, we cannot see any significant problems with this town. To learn more about this unique community and many others, feel free to fill out the contact form below.
