Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

What It Is Like to Retire in Kennett square

Kennett Square, a borough in Chester County, is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, not far from the Delaware border and about 38 miles west of Philadelphia. History has it William Penn and the Quakers arrrived here in 1682, and shortly after, Penn gave his daughter a tract of land which is now known as Kennett Square. Its history continues with British soldiers camping on their way to Philadelphia before defeating George Washington at the Battle of Brandywine, and military encampment during the war of 1812. The town is also known as an important part of the Underground Railroad as many of its prominent citizens helped slaves escape. In August 1989, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kennett Square has been known as the birthplace of the mushroom industry when the Quakers grew them successfully in greenhouses over 150 years ago. The town still produces more than half of the nation's mushrooms, and is considered to be the Mushroom Capital of the World, which is celebrated each summer during a popular two-day festival.

Today, the small historic town with a population of just over 6,000, offers shops, galleries, dining and musuems. It is also home to Longwood Gardens, one of the country's premier horticultural display gardens which is comprised of over 1,000 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows. Picture of State Street in Kennett Square courtesy of Wikipedia and Coemgenus, Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/ ; picture of Longwood Gardens courtesy of Wikipedia (public domain); picture of Old Kennett Meetinghouse, a historic Quaker Meetinghouse and on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, courtesy of Wikipedia and Smallbones (public domain).

Where to Retire in Kennett square and Home Prices

Zillow.com reports the Home Value Index to be $448,157 in early 2021. There are retirement communities here-see link on left.

What Is Special about Kennett square

Kennett Square is a historical town that offers a lot to do for its size.  There are museums, an Amateur Theatrical Society, and a symphony orchestra. There is also a 106 acre park with an entertainment pavilion, fishing ponds, picnic areas, trails, and 18 holes of disc golf.

What Is Not Special about Kennett square

Winters are cool and it does get snow; taxes here are higher than in some other Pennsylvania counties.

Who Will Like Retirement in Kennett square

Retirees who are looking for a small town but close to a big city (Philadelphia) may enjoy living here.  There are festivals, volunteer opportunities, and an active senior center that provides services and social events.

Local Economy Is Driven by

Due to the many mushroom farms, agriculture drives the economy. Genesis HealthCare, an operator of over 500 skilled nursing and assisted living residences, is headquarted here.  

Climate and Physical Environment

January's average temperature is 30 degrees and July's average is 75 degrees.  The annual snowfall is about 20 inches.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Kennett Square is home to wineries, the arts, museum and parks. The town has a farmers market, a First Friday Art Stroll, an Amateur Theatrical Society, and a Symphony orchestra; the Kennett Underground Railroad Center offers guided tours to view sites and learn about abolitionists between 1830-1865, and Longwood Gardens is known as one of the world's great gardens; The Hadley Memorial Fund presents a series of cultural events and entertainment; The town also hosts festivals and events throughout the year, with the most popular being the Mushroom Fesival held annually in September, and has been highlighted on Food TV; Another claim to fame is Talula's Table, a farm to table restaurant which is considered one of the best in the Philadelphia area, and one of hardest restaurants in the U.S. to get a dinner reservation, which must be made a year in advance as there is only one table.

Crime

The crime rate in Kennett Square is well below the national average.

Medical facilities

Kennett Medical Campus is part of Chester County Hospital and Penn Medicine. Nearby Philadelphia offers all types of medical facilities.

Transportation

Philadelphia International airport is just 30 miles away.

Valuable Links

Historic Kennett Square Kennett Underground Railroad Kennett Symphony Longwood Gardens