Downingtown, PA 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Overview

Downingtown is a smaller town located in Eastern Pennsylvania just west of Philadelphia. Downingtown is full of serene natural parks that offer active adults plenty of opportunities to get outdoors. The area is also home to many shops and restaurants, providing a wide range of entertainment options to residents.

Climate & Geography

Downingtown is located in a hilly area east of the Appalachian Mountains. Beaver Creek and the east branch of the Brandywine Creek run through Downingtown. 

The city experiences all four seasons with warm summers and cold winters. Residents of Downingtown can expect around 200 days of sunshine with more rain and snowfall than average.

Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment

One of Downingtown’s main draws is its number of tranquil parks that provide a perfect space for outdoor recreation. The Struble Trail is located alongside East Brandywine Creek and allows activities like cycling, hiking, and walking. Other notable parks in Downingtown include Lloyd Park, Dowlin Forge Park, and Kerr Park.

The area surrounding Downingtown features a number of local and chain restaurants. Nearby Exton has the Exton Square Mall, providing residents with a variety of shopping options. Roughly an hour away, Philadelphia is a great destination for anyone who wants to enjoy more extensive shopping and entertainment options. Aside from that, the Downingtown area features a wide variety of community festivals throughout the year.

Cost of Living & Taxes

The overall cost of living in Downingtown is higher than the state and national averages.

For retirees over 60, Pennsylvania fully exempts all forms of retirement income from taxation. The city's combined sales tax rate of 6 percent is lower than average, and property taxes in Pennsylvania are higher than average.

Health Care

The Philadelphia metro area ranks in the top 105 communities on Gallup's Well-Being Index.

While there are no hospitals in Downingtown, the surrounding area has a number of high-quality hospitals. Chester County Hospital, located in West Chester, is rated high performing by U.S. News and ranked the No. 13 hospital in the state. Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian and Jefferson Health-Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia are the No. 2 and No. 3 hospitals in Pennsylvania, and both are nationally ranked.