West Goshen Named One of the Best Places to Live in the Nation

For the fourth time in a row West Goshen is being called one of the best places to live among America's small towns  by the editors of Money Magazine. This time West Goshen is ranked tenth among 50 towns.  Sharon Massachusetts was named number one and Simsbury, Connecticut was named number 50.

"We'll plaster the news all over everything," Township Manager Casey LaLonde told Patch. "This is very exciting. It just shows how nice it is to live West Goshen."  Of course living in West Goshen is not for everyone, including almost all of the township's 95 employees. It's kind of expensive.

 According to figures provided to Patch by the township:

The median family income (per year): $111,404 and the median home price in West Goshen is  $321,500,  making it too expensive for most of the township's employees.  But for those who do live in West Goshen it's got a lot to brag about, especially when it comes to education,

Reading test scores among West Goshen students are 30.1 percent above the naitonal average according to the township's official figures. Math test scores  are 21 percent above the national average.

It's relatively safe with just one personal crime incident reported per 1,000 people and only 17 property crime incidents reported per 1,000 residents.

The township manager says public services are big part of the Money Magazine quality of life calculus. LaLonde says the township provided an extensive list as well as nearly two dozen photos of events and parks (like the skate park and dog park) to the magazine's editors.

Horsham is the only other Pennsylvania town to make the Money Magazine list, coming in at number 34.

LaLonde says this is the fourth time in a row that West Goshen has made the bi-annual Money Magazine list, and the highest spot the township has ever won. In 2007 West Goshen ranked 12th. It made the 11th spot in 2009, fell to 25th in 2011 and jumped into the top ten this year.