Is Yardley a good place for New York commuters?

It is one of the closest Pennsylvania towns to New York trains. NJ Transit's Trenton station is about 12 minutes away without traffic, and express trains reach New York Penn Station in about 1 hour 10 minutes, with a monthly pass at $585 at 2026 fares. Yardley's own SEPTA station serves Philadelphia rather than New York.

How much does it cost to live in Yardley, PA?

In ZIP 19067, Zillow's typical single-family home value was about $641,000 in September 2026, up about 4 percent in a year. The Pennsbury School District's 2026-27 tax rate is 211.143 mills, and Lower Makefield has no earned income tax. Because Bucks County assessments are on an old base year, ask for the actual tax bill on each home.

Is Yardley, PA a Good Place to Live?

Q: Is Yardley, PA a good place to live?

For buyers who want a small-town center, established neighborhoods, and an easy reach to both New York and Philadelphia, yes. Yardley has a historic borough around Lake Afton, the Delaware Canal towpath, Lower Makefield's parks, and the Pennsbury School District, about 12 minutes from Trenton's NJ Transit station. Trade-offs include flood risk near the river and rising school taxes.

Yes, Yardley is a good place to live if you want a historic river borough, established neighborhoods with parks and woods, and an easy reach to both New York and Philadelphia. NJ Transit’s Trenton station is about 12 minutes away, which makes Yardley one of the most practical Pennsylvania towns for a New York commute. The trade-offs are flood risk close to the river and school taxes that are rising to pay for a new high school.

A river borough and the township around it

Yardley Borough, home to about 2,600 people according to the 2020 Census, is the historic center: a district of about 200 mostly 19th-century buildings around Main Street and Afton Avenue, with Lake Afton and the Delaware Canal. It traces its name to William Yeardley, a Quaker minister who emigrated in 1682. Lower Makefield Township surrounds it with about 33,000 residents, mostly in single-family neighborhoods built from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Schools

Yardley and Lower Makefield are in the Pennsbury School District, about 9,500 students, with ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and Pennsbury High School, which U.S. News ranked 157th in Pennsylvania for 2026-27. One caution: the Yardley 19067 ZIP also covers Morrisville Borough, which has its own school district, so confirm the municipality. The Pennsbury School District page and the guide to Pennsbury vs. Council Rock have more.

Daily life

In the borough: restaurants and shops along Main Street, Lake Afton, and Harvest Day each September.
Outdoors: the Delaware Canal towpath, about 59 miles from Easton to Bristol, runs through town. Lower Makefield’s Five Mile Woods Nature Preserve covers about 285 acres, and Patterson Farm about 226 acres.
Nearby: Washington Crossing Historic Park is about 8 minutes upriver, and Princeton about 24 minutes across the river.

What homes cost

In ZIP 19067, Zillow’s typical single-family home value was about $641,000 in September 2026, up about 4 percent in a year. Across all home types, the least expensive third of homes was valued at about $407,000 and the most expensive third at about $886,000. Borough homes are older and closer to the river; Lower Makefield’s are mostly single-family homes on suburban lots.

Getting around

To New York: Trenton’s NJ Transit station is about 12 minutes away and Hamilton about 21 minutes, without traffic. Express trains reach New York Penn Station in about 1 hour 10 minutes from Trenton.
To Philadelphia: Yardley’s SEPTA station on the West Trenton Line reaches Center City in about an hour; by car it is about 44 minutes.

The guide to the NYC commute from Bucks County and Princeton compares stations, fares, and parking.

Things to weigh

Floods: in the borough, the floodplain begins once you cross the Delaware Canal toward the river. The river crested above 25 feet at Yardley in 2005 and 2006. Most of Lower Makefield is well away from the water.
School taxes: Pennsbury’s rate rose 3.5 percent for 2026-27, to 211.143 mills, and the district expects more increases to fund its new high school.
Resale requirements: Yardley Borough inspects homes on resale, including a Level 2 chimney inspection; Lower Makefield requires a moving permit.
Check the address: a Yardley mailing address can be in Lower Makefield, Yardley Borough, Falls Township, or Morrisville.

Who Yardley is right for

Yardley suits buyers who commute to New York two or three days a week, want a walkable center nearby, and prefer Pennsylvania’s lower property taxes to New Jersey’s. Buyers who want more land often compare it with Washington Crossing, and buyers who want the shortest train ride compare it with West Windsor and Princeton. The Yardley community page has current listings, and the guide to moving from New York City to Bucks County or Princeton compares the whole region.

Working with Karen

Karen Langsfeld is a REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She helps New York buyers compare Yardley with towns on both sides of the river, checks the school district and flood zone for each address, and helps Yardley sellers prepare for the borough’s resale inspection.

Contact Karen at (215) 495-2914 or through the contact page.

Home values: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026. Population: 2020 Census. Schools: Pennsbury School District, National Center for Education Statistics, and U.S. News 2026-27. Taxes: Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2026-27. Floods: Yardley Borough. Drive times are estimates without traffic.