Ridley Township

About five miles west of the southernmost part of Philadelphia, Ridley Township offers an active suburban atmosphere. With MacDade Boulevard running through the middle of town, locals can easily access the busy thoroughfare no more than a mile away from each home.

The township's residential areas primarily feature single-family homes on approximately quarter-acre lots or less. You'll find a diverse selection of architectural styles from the 1950s to 1970s, with colonial-style homes being the most common. You can get a 900-square-foot house with two bedrooms starting at about $250,000 or a roomier three-bedroom house with 1,500 square feet of living space for $300,000 to $450,000. If you're looking for a newer home, some areas feature contemporary Craftsman-style houses built in the 2020s ranging from $450,000 to $500,000. Other parts of town feature traditional Philadelphia-style brick twins, which typically sell for around $150,000 to $200,000. With plentiful trees around, you can admire spring and summer's greenery, the vibrant colors of fall and the bare branches of winter, whether lounging in your backyard or walking around the neighborhood.

Depending on where you live, you can either walk or take a short drive to MacDade Boulevard for all your shopping and dining needs. The town's main road is full of shopping centers with big retailers and grocery stores. From fast food restaurants, casual sandwich shops and lively bars, Ridley has a lot to offer when it comes to dining out. For a retro diner feel, head to Nifty Fifty's, a well-respected Philadelphia chain known for its hand-dipped milkshakes. Visit Delco Steaks for a cheesesteak, voted "Best in Philly" by Philadelphia Magazine for its large portion of pulled prime ribeye on a seeded roll. When you've finished your award-winning cheesesteak, head out back to Delcoland and grab a putter to play on the restaurant's mini-golf course. When you want to hang out late with friends, some bars stay open past midnight, like Hunt's Annex, well known for its wings. You can also hit up Tom N' Jerry's for a drink while watching sports or enjoying live music every weekend.

Realtor Teresa Huddell with RE/MAX has lived in Ridley for about 15 years. She says one of the lovely things about the community is the opportunity for kids to get involved. "We have great volunteers who work so hard through different youth organizations where kids can play sports and participate in theater productions," says Huddell. Whether kids are interested in baseball, lacrosse, football or soccer, plenty of leagues are available, with many games held at Ridley Township Municipal Park. When they're not playing sports, kids can have fun on the park's playground. There's also a paved trail that wraps around the fields for those who want to go for a walk or jog.

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students are split between Grace Park, Woodyln, Amosland and Edgewood Elementary Schools, all of which have a B- to B rating from Niche. They all go on to Ridley Middle School, rated a B- by Niche, before heading off to B-rated Ridley High School. The high school features a broadcasting program where students can get hands-on experience in radio and television, with opportunities to broadcast live sporting events.

Easy access to Interstates 95 and 476 allow you to quickly start your drive in any direction, with Center City Philadelphia about 15 miles away. You can also get there by taking a 30-minute train ride on SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line. And If you're a frequent flyer, Philadelphia International Airport is just five miles away.

Though convenience to the city is a significant draw to Ridley, Realtor David Coffey with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices explains how the overall wholesome atmosphere makes people stay. "You really can't beat it," says Coffey. "It's a peaceful township that's perfect to settle down in. People get along, and it's the kind of place where you'll see Santa Clause riding down the street on a firetruck before Christmas. Stuff like that is what makes it nice homey place to live."

Written By

Nicolas Stuart

Photography Contributed By

Bill Marrs

Video By

Jacob Cardwell