West Chester rates as one of the 100 Best Places to Live in America, with a number of factors making the borough a destination for students, families, and tourists, writes Rebecca Treon for Livability.

West Chester is home to West Chester University, the crown jewel of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and the highly regarded West Chester Area School District. 

West Chester can often feel more urban, but it lacks the high density of living and crime rates of a city. Amenities include state-of-the-art Chester County Hospital and top employers nearby like QVC and Vanguard.

Additionally, downtown West Chester boasts walkable streets lined with shops and restaurants and plenty of parks. 

“West Chester (BID) was created to make the area a safer, better place to live and work,” said executive director John O’Brien. “West Chester and Chester County as a whole have a great balance of housing and community buildings with open space and natural beauty.” 

Read more about West Chester at Livability. 

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in May 2022.