Swarthmore : Pennsylvania

Home to a top and well-respected liberal arts college, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, is a quaint, small town located just east of Philadelphia. Swarthmore College was founded in 1864, by Quakers who were granted land by William Penn, but it has no religious affiliation today. During the late 1880's, passenger trains from Philadelphia made stops here, which encouraged its development in both business and residential, and the borough was incorporated in 1893. It is also the birthplace of Benjamin West, known as America’s first internationally famous artist of historical scenes during the American Revolution. His home is now on the campus of Swarthmore College, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Swarthmore has a popuation of just over 6,000 residents, with a high percentage of them college graduates, and a median household income of about $111,000.  The college, which has an enrollment of about 1,600 students, is an important part of the the community economically and culturally. It is recognized by Forbes, and US News and World Report, as one of the top liberal arts and engineering colleges in the country. picture of Swarthmore College Parrish Hall courtesy of Wikipedia and Ugen64 (public domain); picture of Painter Benjamin West Birthplace courtesy of Wikipedia and Smallbones (public domain); Picture of Swarthmore Station courtesy of Wikipedia and Coemgenus,Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/

The small town is a popular community for retirees and college professors.  Zillow reports the Home Value Index was $388,195 in mid-2022.

Swarthmore is a small town just a few miles from Philadelphia. Residents here can attend events at Swarthmore College, enjoy several parks and green spaces, an active library, senior center, and a train station in town. Springfield Mall, a large shopping complex is just outside of the town.

Swarthmore may be too small for some; high cost of living; cold winters

Retirees who want a small, walkable college town that is close to a large city with transportation, may enjoy living here. Swarthmore's Senior Center offers many lectures, classes, events and activities, along with help from various services. The town is also working toward making Swarthmore an Aging in Place community by forming a Task Force to help improve the quality of life for seniors.

Education and Professional Services

Swarthmore experiences all four seasons with January's average temperatue 35 degrees, and July's average 75 degrees. It receives about 20 inches of snow each winter.

Swarthmore has a few restaurants and shops, but a train station located next to the college, allows easy access to downtown Philadelphia for the best cultural scene; the college hosts lectures that residents may attend, along with events at Lang Performing Arts Center; Scott Aboretum, also on the campus of Swarthmore College, covers more than 110 acres, including Crum Creek, and grows over 3,000 different kinds of plants.