Trying to choose between Broomall and Havertown for your first home? You’re not alone. Both sit just west of Philadelphia and offer solid schools, established neighborhoods, and good access to jobs. The key is matching your priorities to the right fit. In this guide, you’ll compare schools, taxes, starter-home price ranges, commutes, and real tradeoffs like yard size versus walkability. Let’s dive in.

Broomall vs. Havertown: quick feel

Broomall, within Marple Township, reads as classic suburban. You’ll find traditional single-family homes, larger lots, and mature trees. Streets are quieter, and many buyers like the extra yard space for pets, gardens, or a future patio.

Havertown, the postal name inside Haverford Township, is an inner-ring suburb with older, denser blocks and small commercial corridors. It grew along the Main Line corridor and offers shorter walks to cafés, shops, and local services. The neighborhood fabric feels a bit more compact and connected to nearby hubs.

Why this matters: if you want more outdoor space at a similar interior square footage, Broomall often delivers. If you want to walk to errands and catch rail more easily, Havertown usually wins.

Schools at a glance

Both areas are served by well-regarded public school districts. Always confirm the school that serves a specific address before you buy.

• Broomall is served by the Marple Newtown School District (MNSD), which operates four elementary schools, one middle school, and Marple Newtown High School. You can review schools and programs on the district site.
• Havertown is served by the School District of Haverford Township (SDHT), with multiple elementary schools, one middle school, and Haverford High School. Explore school details and offerings on the district’s schools page.

Performance context: public sources describe both districts as strong locally, with advanced programming at the high school level. For an individual home, what matters most is the exact boundary and feeder pattern. Attendance lines can shift between nearby streets, so verify with the district before finalizing an offer.

Property taxes: what you might pay

Understanding Pennsylvania property taxes will help you compare apples to apples. Your annual bill adds three main millage rates together: county, township, and school district. That combined millage is multiplied by the home’s assessed value, which is not the same as market value.

How millage works

• County portion: Delaware County’s levy was reported at 4.609 mills for the 2026 budget cycle. See coverage of county millage changes from the Suburban Realtors Alliance.
• Township portion: Marple Township’s general-fund millage for 2025 is 2.638 mills, per the adopted budget and ordinance. Haverford Township sets its millage annually on its finance pages and budget documents. Sample calculations appear on the Haverford Township Finance page.
• School portion: For 2025–26, MNSD lists a real-estate tax rate of 12.4741 mills in its final budget. The district also reports the median assessed homestead value used in the example below. Review the MNSD 2025–26 budget document for details. Haverford’s school millage is shown in a sample on the township finance page.

Townships often bill separate fees for items like sewer or trash. Marple lists these details on its Tax Office page. Always check the latest numbers before closing.

Broomall sample bill (MNSD)

• Median assessed homestead value used by MNSD: $358,310.
• Total mills used in this example: County 4.609 + Marple 2.638 + MNSD 12.4741 = 19.7211 mills.
• Estimated annual tax: 0.0197211 × $358,310 ≈ $7,066.

This example comes directly from the district’s 2025–26 budget materials, which also explain how assessed values are determined.

Havertown sample bill (SDHT)

• Assessed value used in Haverford’s sample: $346,000.
• Total mills in the township’s sample: County 4.609 + Haverford Township 4.695 + Haverford SD sample 19.6509 = 28.9549 mills.
• Estimated annual tax: 0.0289549 × $346,000 ≈ $10,018.

This illustration appears on the Haverford Township Finance page. Your actual numbers will depend on your property’s assessed value and the current year’s adopted millage.

What to take away: For similar assessed values, Havertown’s combined millage is typically higher than Broomall’s in the examples above. That can affect your monthly budget and long-term cost of ownership.

Starter-home prices and what drives them

It helps to label which metric you are looking at, since different sources report different numbers.

• Havertown: Zillow’s typical home value (ZHVI) was about $506,412 through Dec 2025. Based on that and recent sales patterns, many smaller single-family homes and twins show up in the roughly $300,000 to $600,000 window, depending on size and updates.
• Broomall: A June 2025 market snapshot reported a median list price around $660,000. Entry points in Broomall for smaller or older homes often appear around $350,000 to $550,000, with updated homes and larger lots pushing prices higher.

Why the ranges vary:

• ZHVI is an index, not a list or sold price.
• Median list prices reflect asking prices in a given month.
• Sold prices from the MLS paint the most accurate current picture.

If you want a precise range for your budget, ask for a 3‑month sold comps report in your target blocks. That controls for home size, condition, and lot.

Commute and transit

Both towns have fast access to major corridors like I‑476 and West Chester Pike, which helps if your job is in suburban employment centers or near the airport. Driving into Center City is feasible but depends on peak traffic. A typical range runs about 20 to 45 minutes based on time of day and route.

For rail access, Havertown has the edge. It sits along Main Line transit corridors, which shortens multimodal commutes to Center City for Regional Rail users. Broomall commuters often drive or take a short feeder trip to reach a Regional Rail station. For more on Havertown’s setting and transit context, see the Havertown overview.

Real-world tradeoffs

Here are the common give-and-takes first-time buyers weigh in these two markets:

• Yard vs walkability

  • Broomall: Larger lots and more breathing room on many streets.
  • Havertown: Shorter walks to retail, cafés, and services in several areas.

• Taxes vs school programming

  • Havertown’s combined millage is higher in the examples above, which can raise annual costs.
  • Both districts are known for strong programming; compare offerings school by school for your needs.

• Commute style

  • Havertown: Better access to direct rail options into Center City for many addresses.
  • Broomall: Quick highway access for commuters heading around the region by car.

• Resale drivers

  • In both towns, resale value leans on school reputation, condition and updates, and commute options. Homes near amenities or with desirable yards tend to draw more interest.

Quick match: which fits you?

Choose Broomall if you value:

• A larger yard or wider lots at comparable interior square footage.
• A quieter, traditional suburban feel.
• Strong highway access for regional driving.
• Typically lower combined mills in the example above.

Choose Havertown if you value:

• Shorter walks to local shops and services.
• More direct rail options toward Center City.
• An inner-ring neighborhood vibe with older housing stock.
• A willingness to balance higher taxes against program scale and local demand.

Smart next steps

• Confirm school assignment: Check boundary maps and call the district for the specific address. Start with the MNSD site and the SDHT schools page.
• Verify current millage: Review township and district finance pages for the year you plan to buy. See Marple’s adopted budget page, MNSD’s 2025–26 budget, Haverford’s Finance page, and the county millage coverage from the Suburban Realtors Alliance.
• Budget for fees: Check township items like sewer or trash. Marple lists details under its Tax Office.
• Get hyperlocal comps: Ask for a 3‑month sold comp set for the exact blocks you like to understand true entry prices.
• Test your commute: Drive or ride your route during your typical hours before you write an offer.

If you want a simple side-by-side for your budget and commute, reach out. We’ll pull current sold comps, estimate taxes for your target homes, and map schools and train access so you can choose with confidence. Contact Donna McCole - Worthington Real Estate to get started.

FAQs

What should a first-time buyer compare between Broomall and Havertown?

• Focus on taxes, starter-home price ranges, school boundaries, commute style, and your preference for yard space versus walkability.

How do property taxes differ between Broomall and Havertown?

• Using recent examples, Broomall’s combined mills produced about $7,066 on a median MNSD assessed value, while Havertown’s example totaled about $10,018 on its sample assessed value.

Which town is better for commuting to Center City Philadelphia?

• Havertown often offers more direct Regional Rail options; Broomall favors quick highway access for drivers heading across the region.

How do starter-home prices compare in Broomall and Havertown?

• Havertown’s typical value was around the low $500,000s (Dec 2025 ZHVI), with many entry options $300,000 to $600,000; Broomall entry options often start around $350,000 to $550,000 depending on size and updates.

How can I verify which school serves a specific Broomall or Havertown address?

• Confirm with each district directly using their official pages, then call to verify the attendance line for the address before you submit an offer.