Bucks County Borough Profiled By NYT Writers: See What They Said

YARDLEY, PA — With its 2,500 residents, Yardley may be considered to possess a certain small-town charm for many, filled with quiet streets and a quaint collection of shops and eateries in a historic downtown district locals have come to love.

But to others who choose Yardley for other reasons — such as its affordability compared to metropolitan areas like Philadelphia, New York and its New Jersey neighbors across the Delaware River, Yardley offers much more while costing them much, much less.

The borough was featured in the New York Times real estate section last week, a story which characterized Yardley as a bucolic, friendly place by residents who had moved into Bucks County from Central New Jersey.

The homes in Yardley are priced at $236 per square foot, according to the piece, compared to more than $120 higher than that just 11 miles away in Lambertville, NJ. Local real estate companies have proven just how affordable the borough can be when it comes to purchasing a new home. The variety of available homes and a property tax rate that is much more attractive for those considering the borough all add to Yardley's appeal for house hunters, the piece3 said.

But it’s the environment here, local officials said, that tends to win people over. From the walkability of Yardley to its waterfront presence along the river and its historic corridor of downtown businesses, Yardley has become a haven for empty nesters looking for a quiet place to relax, the profile says.

The piece speaks to Yardley’s proximity to bigger cities for commuters but also captures the smaller town vibe that residents who have moved into town from other areas find desirable. Mayor Chris Harding, who is seeking re-election and who, according to the piece is on a first-name basis with locals, speaks of the borough’s push to preserve open spaces and historic areas at a time when Yardley’s population continues to grow.

“(Newcomers are) taking that,” Harding said in the piece, “and (they’re) saying, ‘Hey, let’s get more rural.’”

A New Jersey couple who moved to Yardley in February have found the community inviting. Not only did they find more affordable housing but said that the offerings the borough has for them and their two children has made their new home the right one for them.

“Our biggest motivating factor was the neighborhood,” Lisa Edward said in the piece, adding, “People here have been really welcoming to our business, too."

Read the entire New York Times profile of Yardley here