Upper Bucks Area Guide
The Territory: Includes Tinicum, Nockamixon, Springfield, Bridgeton, Richland, Durham, Haycock, West Rockhill, East Rockhill, Milford and most of Hilltown townships. Towns and boroughs include Erwinna, Upper Black Eddy, Quakertown, Pipersville and Riegelsville along with the Lake Nockamixon State Park area, which spans several townships. Don’t forget Frenchtown, N.J., and Milford, N.J., just across the Delaware River, the eastern border for Upper Bucks County.
The Lifestyle: If you love the great outdoors, beautiful rural scenery and a laid-back lifestyle, then Upper Bucks just might be for you. Along the Delaware River, waterfront homes feature mesmerizing views, and the adjacent canal path provides a scenic place for biking, running and long walks with your favorite canine companion. For those who prefer stillwater recreation, Lake Nockamixon State Park includes a marina, biking and walking paths and ample opportunity for fishing, sailing, kayaking and canoeing. Another state park in Upper Bucks is Ralph Stover State Park. Bring a hammer if you hike through nearby Ringing Rocks. Restaurants include historic inns, village taverns and small, locally owned establishments – this is not the place for the person who wants assorted franchise restaurants in their backyard. Shopping, outside of the locally owned, boutique-type stores, will require a short drive to Flemington, N.J., Doylestown or the Lehigh Valley. The mix of rolling hills, forests and open field make Upper Bucks a true retreat for the person who prefers a slower, quieter pace of life.
Upper Bucks Real Estate: Upper Bucks is chock full of fabulous farmsteads, equestrian properties and country retreats – some say the number of “millionaires next door” and under-the-radar wealth in Tinicum Township outpaces that of Buckingham, Solebury and Upper Makefield Townships in Central Bucks, traditionally considered overall wealthier areas. Happily for buyers in an entry-level or move-up position, Upper Bucks also has many housing options at lower price points, including homes in picturesque small towns and boroughs such as Perkasie, Springtown and Riegelsville and a limited selection of condominiums and townhouses. With many preservation-minded residents in parts of Upper Bucks , there has not been an excess of new-home construction in the upper reaches of the county, though smaller cul de sac communities and estate developments have sprung up in the past 10 years.
Education: Public school districts include Palisades, Quakertown, Penn-Ridge and, for residents in parts of Riegelsville, Easton School District. A number of private education institutions are available. Research schools here.
Commuting Potential: Many people commute from Upper Bucks to various points in New Jersey and even to New York City. Off peak, the drive can be about 1 hour and 30 minutes. At rush hour, count on two hours to the Holland Tunnel in Lower Manhattan. Daily bus service to New Jersey/New York is available from Frenchtown, N.J., just across the Delaware River from Upper Bucks, and from Easton, Pa., just above Riegelsville. The ride averages just over 90 minutes. Some people also drive to various points in New Jersey where ferry service to Manhattan is available.
For additional information about Upper Bucks County, or to learn more about housing options in the area, please phone Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty’s New Hope Office at 215.794.3227, or email us.
