This Once-Thriving Pennsylvania Rail Town Is Now A Retirement-Friendly Suburb With Walkable Charm

As a state with a favorable tax structure, Pennsylvania — known more for its historical bona fides, industrial heritage, and Hershey's chocolate – is drawing attention for its retirement value. In 2025, Forbes ranked two of its bigger cities – Bethlehem and Pittsburgh — among the top 25 best places to retire in America, based on factors such as housing costs, quality of life, and crime. Bethlehem's reputation as "Christmas City" and Pittsburgh's wealth of free activities and sports teams can help keep the golden years busy.  Another smaller — and pricier — retirement option with a population of about 6,600 is the affluent Philadelphia suburb of Wayne, which exudes an air of elegance featured in the 1940 film, "The Philadelphia Story."  Blending residential charm with Victorian- and Colonial-style homes and a walkable downtown (notching a 92 Walk Score), Wayne offers retirees a vibrant lifestyle with community festivals, meticulously maintained parks, an art center, and nearby college events. 

Part of the prosperous Main Line communities, Wayne is one of several desirable neighborhoods — including Bryn Mawr and Gladwyne — that developed in the 1880s along the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line route. Once called Louella, it was rechristened as Wayne in honor of Gen. Anthony Wayne and his exploits during the American Revolutionary War. Today, public transportation remains accessible via SEPTA's Paoli-Thorndale Line, with travel time to Philadelphia of about 40 minutes and to Philadelphia International Airport of roughly 65 minutes.

As noted, Pennsylvania does not tax most retirement income, including Social Security benefits, but housing costs here run high. As of December 2025, Wayne's median list price on Realtor.com sat at $915,000, ranging from an $875,000 four-bedroom, contemporary Colonial to a $1.5 million five-bedroom home within walking distance of downtown. If that's out of reach, you can test-drive the area by renting, with monthly rates averaging $3,000.  

Where to start spending your days of leisure in Wayne? Walkers, joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers gravitate to the Radnor Trail, a 2.4-mile, tree-lined path along a former railroad route where the "view changes every season," per a Tripadvisor review. For a shorter morning stroll, walk the loop at Veterans & First Responders Park, where you can also turn the grandkids loose on the enclosed playground. In winter, active retirees will probably head to discounted skiing opportunities less than 2 hours away at Shawnee Mountain and Blue Mountain Resort.

You may want to invest in a membership – $100 for two – to a hometown treasure, the Chanticleer, a pleasure garden and estate home to more than 5,000 plants, trees, and succulents, where classes and workshops are also offered. For more cultural education, the Wayne Art Center hosts gallery exhibitions, lectures, and classes; an annual family membership is $80 as of this writing. Nearby Villanova University also offers enrichment opportunities for older adults through its lifelong learning programs.

Wayne loads its social calendar with activities, so you can have a full dance card if you make the effort. Seasonal gatherings run throughout the year, including a spring car show, a Memorial Day parade, a free summer music festival, and a Christmas celebration with carolers and carriage rides. A feast for the senses awaits at the Lancaster County Farmers Market, where vendors sell fresh produce, smoked meats, seafood, baked goods, and artisanal cheeses. The market is typically open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Downtown's walkable district along Lancaster and Wayne avenues is chock-full of shopping and dining options, many housed in historic buildings. Antiquities, Etc., housed in a brick building with shingled awnings, specializes in English antique furnishings, while Main Point Books – a beloved local bookstore — is known for its inviting atmosphere, wide-ranging selection, and rotating schedule of author events, poetry readings, and book groups. Eagle Village Shops, an open-air center with brick-paved pathways, features boutiques such as J. McLaughlin, known for colorful sportswear, and The Barn at Valley Forge Flowers, which carries gardening tools, outdoor furniture, and seasonal decor.

It's easy to soak up history in style in Wayne, home to several landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Wayne Hotel. Its on-site restaurant, Rosalie, serves Italian fare and hosts regular events. You will feel a continent away in Matines Cafe, sipping coffee, nibbling on an almond croissant, or dining on quiche or baguette sandwiches. The Vietnamese restaurant Maison Lotus, with its wagyu pho, drunken noodles, and soy-braised short ribs in a striking, tropical atmosphere, is a festive choice for an anniversary celebration. If you're craving a local chain or looking to appease many different taste buds, Burtons Grill & Bar delivers with steaks, crab cakes, lobster rolls, and burgers.  

When the weather turns chilly, you can head to Pennsylvania's largest mall, King of Prussia, about 10 minutes away, which combines shopping and fun with an escape room and the first-ever Netflix House. Wayne definitely offers a ritzy path to retirement, but if you're seeking even more panache, check out Pennsylvania's wealthiest suburbs.