The Hottest Suburban Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Conshohocken
A decade of growth, plus accessible price points and a quick city commute, have 20- and 30-somethings flocking.
Median home price: $267,500
Increase in residents with a B.A. or higher (2000 to 2010): 114.5 percent
Increase in residents aged 20 to 54 (2000 to 2010): 21.3 percent
A group of townhouses in West Conshohocken wedged between a McDonald’s drive-thru and I-76, all selling for their listed prices (between $382,000 and $450,000), seems ludicrous. Realtor Bette McTamney was surprised by it, too, but something about this tiny borough has homebuyers eager to snatch up property. New construction in the 1.03-square-mile area boomed between 2004 and 2009; these days, Conshy is managing the line between welcoming prospective builders and maintaining the existing aesthetic of a place where locals can enjoy a taste of convenient small-town life (though proximity to Center City is a major perk, with a commute of under 30 minutes by rail). The once-industrial-and-manufacturing-driven borough now touts modern riverfront apartments, restaurants that cover all the basics (with a major bonus in Chip Roman’s Blackfish), and a growing list of retail along bustling Fayette Street, catching the eye of more and more 20- and 30-somethings over the past several years. The only downside? Traffic on the Fayette Street Bridge is a nightmare at rush hour. Starter homes here are priced to sell—2012’s median home price was in the comfy mid-$200,000s—and that shows itself in the plethora of young families (and their dogs) you see out and about.
My Conshohocken: Hot Real Estate for 20- and 30-Somethings
“Originally I was nervous about opening in Conshohocken because there’s not as much retail, but the clothing scene in Manayunk was too congested. Plus, real estate never seemed to decline here like it did elsewhere—housing here is booming among 20- and 30-somethings. I never feel an itch to go to Center City—Conshohocken has everything. It’s a nice option, being only 20 miles away, but here, you can breathe.”
—Antoinette Poluch, 30, owner of Obvi Boutique on Fayette Street
Data derived from HomExpert Market Report, a product of Prudential Fox & Roach, Realtors, Research Division.
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