Glenside is home to what is thought to be the biggest Independence Day parade in the greater Philadelphia area. The parade, which started back in 1904, is highly traditional and is one of the longest Fourth of July parades in the country.
Glenside is a census-designated place (CDP) found in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The CDP covers only 1.3 miles and has a population of 8,384, according to the latest census in 2010. It's part of the greater Philadelphia area and is only seven miles from the center of the city, making it popular among those who travel to and from the City of Brotherly Love regularly. The climate in the city is typical of the northeast, including hot summers with average temperatures in the high 80s, and cold winters where it gets down to freezing temps on occasion.
Moving to Glenside
Glenside is highly popular among those who spend much of their time in the center of Philly. So, this pretty much means that you're likely to be in for a fight when you start looking for places to live in Glenside. The area is historic and picturesque, so it makes a great haven for anyone looking for a nice suburb in the outer reaches of the city.
Competitive Market
Glenside has roughly 3,000 homes, with about a third of them being renter-occupied. The vacancy rate isn't terrible, but it's also below average for the nation. However, for a suburb so close to a major city, this is to be expected. It's important that you start searching as early as you can manage. Ideally, this will be a few months before you intend to move to give yourself plenty of opportunity to hunt down an appropriate home.
Available Housing
Housing is nicely varied in Glenside, so regardless of whether you're looking for home rentals, pet-friendly apartments or condos for rent, you're likely to find something that ticks most, if not all, of the right boxes. As in just about every place in the country, detached housing is more prominent, making up a little under two thirds of the available housing. However, attached homes account for about a sixth, and apartment buildings and complexes account for nearly a third. So, if you're looking for one-bedroom apartments in Glenside, you should be able to find something suitable. If you're looking for larger places to live, there are a bunch of houses with three or more bedrooms available.
Historic Housing
Glenside is one of the most historic places you're likely to find in the state, so the housing is generally old. In fact, nearly 60% was built before 1939, so you'll find plenty of pretty period properties all over the CDP. This is great if you enjoy older architecture, rather than modern styles, although there are still a smattering of more contemporary homes that were built after 1970.
Neighborhoods in Glenside
To get a feel of the area, it's a good idea to take a drive around and check out the various neighborhoods that are available. In fact, forget the car and walk. Glenside has a walk score of 83, so most errands can be easily accomplished on foot.
Town Center: There are a couple of bars here, most notably Keswick Tavern, but the real draw is Keswick Theatre, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
S Easton Road: There are plenty of restaurants here, including Rocky's Deli Style Restaurant and Anne's Kitchen Table. The main Glenside rail station is here too, providing travel on the Lansdale and Warminster Lines toward Philly.
Baederwood / Weldon: Here, you'll find Baederwood Park. There's also plenty of detached housing here.
Living in Glenside
Glenside is a great haven for anyone who wants a pretty calm life within easy distance to Philly. There are several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a variety of points of interest, including Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, home to several notable burials, including Frank Rizzo and Connie Mack, and Harry Renninger Park. The Independence Day Parade is one of the best in the nation and is considered the biggest in Philadelphia, bringing together many of the local residents and tourists alike.
So how about travel? Well, being so close to Philly, Glenside is in a fantastic spot for easy travel to the city itself and elsewhere. The CDP is served by SEPTA Regional Rail, as well as Amtrak, providing easy travel toward Philly and a host of other cities in the northeastern US. Road links are also excellent, with State Routes 73, 309 and 152 all within easy reach. Interstates 95, 76 and 276 are also easily reachable in various directions, most within a few miles, offering simple travel out of the city and toward all other parts of the state and the nation. If this wasn't enough, Glenside is also served by several SEPTA bus links, including routes 22 and 77.