Downingtown can be called home of The Blob, which was filmed in and around the town. You can even still eat at the Downingtown Diner that was featured in the movie, although it's not the exact same diner nowadays.
A bustling industrial town that sits just a bit outside of Philadelphia, Downingtown is home to around 7,900 residents
Downingtown can be called home of The Blob, which was filmed in and around the town. You can even still eat at the Downingtown Diner that was featured in the movie, although it's not the exact same diner nowadays.
A bustling industrial town that sits just a bit outside of Philadelphia, Downingtown is home to around 7,900 residents. Given its location along main routes, it is a great jumping-off point for those who want to spend time in Philadelphia and the business and industry of the area, but also want to keep it at an arm's length. It has a solid community base, with plenty of leisure options close by.
Start Hunting
You don't need a whole lot of lead time when you start trying to find rental properties in Downingtown. The city is nearly evenly split between renter-occupied and owner-occupied units, so there are plenty of homes out there. Turnover is fairly consistent, so you can reasonably expect to be able to find a place in only two or three weeks of lead time. Just make sure you've got two or three months of rent set aside for your security deposit -- that can be a sizable chunk of cash, as Downingtown's average rent is higher than most of the neighborhoods in Pennsylvania. Downingtown property managers can also be a bit picky, as they like to make sure they have quality tenants, so get yourself some shining references from your previous landlords.
What's on the Market?
Downingtown has a wide variety of units, and it doesn't lean heavily to any one type. It is almost evenly split between single family detached, row houses and attached homes, small apartment buildings, and apartment complexes and large apartment buildings. A majority of the units have two, three, or four bedrooms, so there's plenty of room for your things -- we know you've always wanted a home office. The one noticeable trend is in age -- only a small fraction of the housing units are new construction, with the rest were built between 1940 and 1999. This means there aren't many super-modern units, but also not many that are horribly out of date.
Getting Around
Downingtown manages to be one of the few suburban towns where it is actually feasible to live without a car. It will certainly be a bit difficult, but with a train station featuring Septa and Amtrak service, as well as bus routes from Septa and Greyhound, you can make it without a car if need be. Sometimes it may be even smarter to use public transport -- given the tie-ups on the major routes of the area, taking a train to Philadelphia is likely a faster option.
When searching for homes in Downingtown, be sure to check out the following areas.
Gallagherville: If you're looking for townhouses to rent in Downingtown, start your search in this western part of the borough -- a little over a third of the units in this neighborhood are townhouses. It also has a handful of apartment buildings, such as the Janwood Apartments that offer affordable one-bedroom apartments for folks on a tight budget. Be warned that this is one of the older sections of town, so you might not find many units built after 1958 -- don't be surprised if some of the decor looks like it is straight out of The Blob.
Borough Center: You'll be able to avoid turning into a blob if you live in the middle of town, as the neighborhood is great for people who want to be able to walk or bike. The variety of businesses, restaurants and leisure activities within a few blocks is incredible. That being said, this means rental property in the neighborhood is in high demand. If you're looking for one or two-bedroom apartments, check out Norwood House Apartments or Black Hawk Apartments -- they've even got pet friendly apartments for folks with four-legged friends.
Ackworth: A bit more suburban than the other neighborhoods in Downingtown, Ackworth also leans a bit more towards owner-occupied units than the other neighborhoods. Have no fear, there are still rental homes available -- they'll just be more along the line of single-family housing, meaning they'll be a bit more costly than other neighborhoods. Ackworth is also not very walkable, although you can still get around by bike. One notable part of this neighborhood replete with condos for rent is in the Woodmont North complex -- these rental condos come with one, two or even three bedrooms.
In The Blob, the creature eats everything in its path -- and so can you, at the numerous local restaurants. Get over to The Olive Tree for tasty Greek blobs of meat; known as keftedes, these slow-cooked Mediterranean answers to the meatball are full of spices. If you favor south-of-the-border tastes, Rincon Tarasco provides some interesting, authentic dishes, including a variety of tortas. If you're more interested in cooking at home, Kimberton Whole Foods has organic and healthy foods. The Downingtown Farmers Market -- where Auntie Anne's pretzels were first sold to the public in 1988 -- is open Saturday mornings in Kerr Park, and features local produce and locally-made goods, such as honey from Two Gander Farms or cheeses from Conebella Farm.
Just so you don't end up resembling the movie monster, you can get out and enjoy the numerous outdoor activities in and around the town. Head a bit south along the Valley Creek, and you'll have the vast Brandywine Meadows Preserve, which includes the Harmony Hill Nature Area with its paved and unpaved biking and hiking paths, as well as the M. John Johnson Nature Center, great for walking and seeing wildlife. Relax in Lloyd Park, or go fishing at Kerr Park, which has its own trout hatchery.
If your idea of an outdoor activity is more along the lines of a sack of clubs and a few beers, Downingtown has some high-level courses in and around town, including the highly regarded Downingtown Country Club, considered to be one of the top public golf courses in the region. Also nearby are Ingleside Golf Club and Whitford Country Club, the latter of which is a private course.
Sometimes you might just want beer, and to heck with the golf clubs. Don't worry, we won't judge you for it. In that case, wander down to Victory Brewing Company, one of the top craft brewers on the East Coast. They've always got great beers on tap, with regular brews as well as seasonal and one-off specialties. Grab a growler or a case to take home with you -- it's the right thing to do.
