Here to Stay
Looking for an optimal place to enjoy retirement? Residents of the Philadelphia area don’t have far to go.
For those on the cusp of retirement who have eyes on the palm trees and sandy beaches of Florida, the Carolinas, or some exotic Caribbean destination, take note: Pennsylvania is the place to be. Philadelphians are biased, of course, but don’t take their word for it.
The Keystone State had an exceptionally good showing on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 list of Best Places to Retire in the United States. Lancaster, Harrisburg, York, Allentown, and Reading all made the top 10, while Scranton (No. 17), Philadelphia (No. 19), and Pittsburgh cracked the top 20.
The report assessed how well 150 of the largest metropolitan areas meet Americans’ retirement needs and expectations, using criteria such as the happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates, and healthcare quality.
Pennsylvania residents appreciate having four distinct seasons, with relatively even-keel weather. Retirees also like having so many options when it comes to the continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and allied communities that Pennsylvania has to offer, especially in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. Each community strives to “check every box” in terms of health care, peace of mind, restaurant-quality food, and various forms of enrichment. In fact, some folks who decide to move from their long-time family home into a CCRC use the experience to, in a way, become someone else: seeing new places, developing new hobbies (or dusting off old ones), making new friends, and so much more.
As the late fantasy author C.S. Lewis supposedly once said, “You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.” And many retired folks are taking that advice by enjoying their post-career lives close to home.
The Best of the Best
The Philadelphia area’s many exceptional CCRCs strive to help residents live their best life in retirement. Many of the finest communities devoted to excellence in the care they provide—independent living, personal care, memory care, and more—are included here, though we acknowledge that not all of the area’s many top-shelf communities are listed below.
The Philadelphia area’s many exceptional CCRCs strive to help residents live their best life in retirement. Many of the finest communities devoted to excellence in the care they provide—independent living, personal care, memory care, and more—are included here, though we acknowledge that not all of the area’s many top-shelf communities are listed below.
Acts Retirement Life Communities
Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Fort Washington Estates, Granite Farm Estates and Lima Estates in Media, Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, Normandy Farms Estates in Blue Bell, Southampton Estates, and Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd
actsretirement.org
Arbour Square of Harleysville
Harleysville
arboursquare.com
Artis Senior Living
Huntingdon Valley, Yardley, and Princeton, New Jersey
artisseniorliving.com
Atria Senior Living
Atria Center City in Philadelphia and Atria Lafayette Hill
atriaseniorliving.com
The Attleboro Community
Langhorne
attleborocommunity.com
Brandywine Senior Living
Dresher Estates, Haverford Estates, Longwood in Kennett Square, Senior Suites in East Norriton, and Upper Providence in Phoenixville
brandycare.com
Chandler Hall
Newtown
ch.kendal.org
Cornwall Manor
Cornwall (Lebanon County)
cornwallmanor.org
Dunwoody Village
Newtown Square
dunwoody.org
Elm Terrace Gardens
Lansdale
elmterracegardens.org
Five Star Senior Living
The Devon Senior Living, NewSeasons at New Britain in Chalfont, and Forwood Manor in Wilmington, Delaware
fivestarseniorliving.com
Freedom Village at Brandywine
Coatesville
fvbrandywine.com
Friends Home & Village
Newtown
fhvpa.org
Garden Spot Village
New Holland
gardenspotvillage.org
HarborChase of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
harborchase.com/harborchase-wilmington
HarborChase of Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
harborchase.com/harborchase-princeton
The Hearth at Drexel
Bala Cynwyd
thehearthatdrexel.org
Heartis
Warminster and Yardley
heartis.com
Hershey’s Mill Villages & Golf Club
West Chester
hersheysmill55plus.com
The Hickman
West Chester
thehickman.org
HumanGood
The Mansion at Rosemont, Rydal Park and Rydal Waters in Jenkintown, and Spring Mill Pointe in Lafayette Hill
humangood.org
IntegraCare
Glen Mills Senior Living, Exton Senior Living, Magnolias of Lancaster
integracare.com
Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square
kcc.kendal.org
The Landing of Collegeville
Collegeville
leisurecare.com
The Manor at York Town
Jamison
themanoratyorktown.org
Maplewood at Princeton
Plainsboro, New Jersey
maplewoodseniorliving.com
Masonic Villages
Lafayette Hill and Warminster
masonicvillages.org
Meadowood Senior Living
Lansdale
meadowood.net
Merrill Gardens
Arbour Square in West Chester, Eagleview Landing in Exton, Mercer Hill at Doylestown, Merrill Gardens at Glen Mills, The Pinnacle in Plymouth Meeting, Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle
merrillgardens.com
Oxford Enhanced Senior Living
Langhorne
oxfordenhancedseniorliving.com
Pennswood Village
Newtown
pennswood.org
Pickering Manor
Newtown
pickeringmanor.org
Pine Run Retirement Community
Doylestown
pinerun.org
Pleasant View Communities
Manheim
pleasantviewcommunities.org
Priority Life Care
Symphony Manor of Feasterville and Independence Court of Quakertown
prioritylc.com
Riddle Village Retirement Community
Media
riddlevillage.com
SageLife
The 501 at Mattison Estate in Ambler, Chestnut Ridge and Plush Mills in Wallingford, Daylesford Crossing in Paoli, Echo Lake in Malvern, and Ovation at Riverwalk in Princeton, New Jersey
sagelife.com
The Solana Doylestown
Warrington
thesolanadoylestown.com
Springton Lake Village
Media
springtonlakevillage.com
Sunrise of North Wales
North Wales
sunriseseniorliving.com
Symphony Square
Bala Cynwyd
symphonysq.com
The Watermark at Bellingham
West Chester
bellingham.watermarkcommunities.com
Waverly Heights
Gladwyne
waverlyheightsltd.org
White Horse Village
Newtown Square
whitehorsevillage.org
Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Fort Washington Estates, Granite Farm Estates and Lima Estates in Media, Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, Normandy Farms Estates in Blue Bell, Southampton Estates, and Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd
actsretirement.org
Arbour Square of Harleysville
Harleysville
arboursquare.com
Artis Senior Living
Huntingdon Valley, Yardley, and Princeton, New Jersey
artisseniorliving.com
Atria Senior Living
Atria Center City in Philadelphia and Atria Lafayette Hill
atriaseniorliving.com
The Attleboro Community
Langhorne
attleborocommunity.com
Brandywine Senior Living
Dresher Estates, Haverford Estates, Longwood in Kennett Square, Senior Suites in East Norriton, and Upper Providence in Phoenixville
brandycare.com
Chandler Hall
Newtown
ch.kendal.org
Cornwall Manor
Cornwall (Lebanon County)
cornwallmanor.org
Dunwoody Village
Newtown Square
dunwoody.org
Elm Terrace Gardens
Lansdale
elmterracegardens.org
Five Star Senior Living
The Devon Senior Living, NewSeasons at New Britain in Chalfont, and Forwood Manor in Wilmington, Delaware
fivestarseniorliving.com
Freedom Village at Brandywine
Coatesville
fvbrandywine.com
Friends Home & Village
Newtown
fhvpa.org
Garden Spot Village
New Holland
gardenspotvillage.org
HarborChase of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
harborchase.com/harborchase-wilmington
HarborChase of Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
harborchase.com/harborchase-princeton
The Hearth at Drexel
Bala Cynwyd
thehearthatdrexel.org
Heartis
Warminster and Yardley
heartis.com
Hershey’s Mill Villages & Golf Club
West Chester
hersheysmill55plus.com
The Hickman
West Chester
thehickman.org
HumanGood
The Mansion at Rosemont, Rydal Park and Rydal Waters in Jenkintown, and Spring Mill Pointe in Lafayette Hill
humangood.org
IntegraCare
Glen Mills Senior Living, Exton Senior Living, Magnolias of Lancaster
integracare.com
Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square
kcc.kendal.org
The Landing of Collegeville
Collegeville
leisurecare.com
The Manor at York Town
Jamison
themanoratyorktown.org
Maplewood at Princeton
Plainsboro, New Jersey
maplewoodseniorliving.com
Masonic Villages
Lafayette Hill and Warminster
masonicvillages.org
Meadowood Senior Living
Lansdale
meadowood.net
Merrill Gardens
Arbour Square in West Chester, Eagleview Landing in Exton, Mercer Hill at Doylestown, Merrill Gardens at Glen Mills, The Pinnacle in Plymouth Meeting, Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle
merrillgardens.com
Oxford Enhanced Senior Living
Langhorne
oxfordenhancedseniorliving.com
Pennswood Village
Newtown
pennswood.org
Pickering Manor
Newtown
pickeringmanor.org
Pine Run Retirement Community
Doylestown
pinerun.org
Pleasant View Communities
Manheim
pleasantviewcommunities.org
Priority Life Care
Symphony Manor of Feasterville and Independence Court of Quakertown
prioritylc.com
Riddle Village Retirement Community
Media
riddlevillage.com
SageLife
The 501 at Mattison Estate in Ambler, Chestnut Ridge and Plush Mills in Wallingford, Daylesford Crossing in Paoli, Echo Lake in Malvern, and Ovation at Riverwalk in Princeton, New Jersey
sagelife.com
The Solana Doylestown
Warrington
thesolanadoylestown.com
Springton Lake Village
Media
springtonlakevillage.com
Sunrise of North Wales
North Wales
sunriseseniorliving.com
Symphony Square
Bala Cynwyd
symphonysq.com
The Watermark at Bellingham
West Chester
bellingham.watermarkcommunities.com
Waverly Heights
Gladwyne
waverlyheightsltd.org
White Horse Village
Newtown Square
whitehorsevillage.org
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, April 2023.