Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore is a borough of 6,550 people in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1893.
Why visit Swarthmore
Townapedia lists 22 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 30 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Hedgerow Theatre, Widener University, Benjamin West Birthplace and Dr. Samuel D. Risley House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 26°F, and about 23 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Swarthmore
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Swarthmore
Swarthmore is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Swarthmore was originally named Westdale in honor of painter Benjamin West, who was one of the early residents of the town. The name was changed to Swarthmore after the establishment of Swarthmore College. As of the 2020 census, Swarthmore had a population of 6,543.
From the Wikipedia article Swarthmore, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Hedgerow Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.0 mi
Theater and theater company in Rose Valley near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Museums and landmarks22
Benjamin West Birthplace
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Dr. Samuel D. Risley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Idlewild
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
House in Media, Pennsylvania
John P. Crozer II Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Media Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Arsenal in Pennsylvania, United States of America
Morton Homestead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Ogden House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Old Rose Tree Tavern
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Building in the United States of America
Thomas Leiper Estate
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Thunderbird Lodge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Pennsylvania
Westlawn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Wolley Stille
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
10 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
Deshong Park
Park · 3.4 mi
Park in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States of America
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes30
320 Market Café
Cafe · American, Deli, Local, Pizza, Sandwich · 0.9 mi
713 South Chester Road, Swarthmore
Mo-Su 08:00-20:00
Applebee's
Diner · American · 1.5 mi
320 Macdade Boulevard, Folsom
Mo-Th,Su 11:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-24:00
Bertucci's
Restaurant · Pizza, Italian · 1.0 mi
965 Baltimore Pike, Springfield
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Outback Steakhouse
Restaurant · American, Steak · 0.9 mi
1118 Baltimore Pike, Springfield
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 11:00-21:00
Aria Mediteranean Cuisine
Restaurant
405 Dartmouth Avenue, Swarthmore
Mo,Su off; Tu 16:00-20:00; We-Fr 11:00-20:00; Sa 15:00-20:00
La Cannelle Cafe
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
21 North Providence Road, Wallingford
We-Fr 08:30-21:00; Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 09:30-20:00
18 more on the map.
History
Originally, the area belonged to the Lenape people. It was settled in the late 1600s by Quakers after William Penn granted them the land. By the early 1800s, it was still mainly farmland, and was known as Westdale in honor of local artist Benjamin West. It was part of Springfield Township, but the area began to become a distinct town after Swarthmore College was founded in 1864. The advent of passenger rail service from Philadelphia in the 1880s greatly enhanced the desirability of the borough as a commuter suburb, and the borough was incorporated in 1893.
About one third of the borough's land area consists of the Swarthmore College campus. Many of the streets in the southern half of town are named for eastern colleges, and much of the borough's housing stock dates from the Victorian period through the 1920s.
The Ogden House and Benjamin West Birthplace are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship16
Chambers Memorial Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian Church Usa · 1.0 mi
2 East Sylvan Avenue, Rutledge
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
Church · Catholic · 1.5 mi
2130 Franklin Avenue, Morton
Swarthmore Friends Meetinghouse
Church · Quaker · 0.4 mi
12 Whittier Place, Swarthmore
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries57
Healthcare2
Map of Swarthmore
170 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 26°F | 3.1 in | 7.1 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 28°F | 2.8 in | 8.4 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 34°F | 4.0 in | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 44°F | 3.5 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 74°F | 54°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 64°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 70°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 68°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 49°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 31°F | 4.0 in | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Philadelphia Intl Ap 72408 (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Delaware County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2021-09-10: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2011-09-12: Tropical Storm Lee (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Philadelphia Essington Seaplane Base (PSQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Folsom 1 mi southeast, about 2 min by car
- Morton 1 mi northeast, about 2 min by car
- Ridley Park 2 mi southeast, about 3 min by car
- Rose Valley 2 mi west, about 3 min by car
- Media 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Prospect Park 2 mi southeast, about 4 min by car
- Glenolden 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Norwood 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Brookhaven 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
- Parkside 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Parrish Hall, Ugen64 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Thunderbird RV, Smallbones, Public domain
- Thomas Leiper House Delco PA, Smallbones, CC0
- MediaPa.6thRegimentArmoryCo.Hc.1909pc, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Idlewild Media PA back side, Smallbones, CC0
- Old Rose Tree from North, Smallbones, CC0
- MortonsenCabin, User:Smallbones ., Public domain
- CrozerII, User:Smallbones on English Wikipedia., Public domain
- Wolley 1, Smallbones, CC0
- Ogden House, Abby Norling-Ruggles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BWestBplace, User:Smallbones at English Wikipedia., Public domain
- RisleyFrontMediaPA, User:Smallbones on English Wikipedia., Public domain
- WestLawnPA, User:Smallbones on English Wikipedia., Public domain
- OldMainWidener, User:Smallbones at English Wikipedia., Public domain
- Chester Meeting Delco, Smallbones, CC0
- Asbury AME Church, Dwkaminski, CC BY-SA 4.0
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