Life in the city can be overwhelming, especially in a densely populated one like Philadelphia. 

Sure, a condo in the heart of Rittenhouse Square puts you next to great locales like the Reading Terminal Market and Love Park, but the hustle and bustle can grow old after a few years. Luckily, homebuyers looking for something new have plenty of nearby towns that are still convenient to Philadelphia. 

Buyers can choose anything from sprawling riverfront compounds on the Delaware River in New Jersey or single-family homes north of Philadelphia. But if you've spent all your time around Center City, you may not know where to look for your dream house. 

To help buyers pin down their ideal locations, the team at Prevu Real Estate put together a quick guide of several towns with short commutes to Philadelphia. 

Towns with short commutes to Philadelphia

• Media, PA
• Doylestown, PA 
• Ardmore, PA
• Conshohocken, PA
• Swarthmore, PA 
• Haddonfield, NJ 
• Cherry Hill, NJ
• Moorestown, NJ
• Delanco, NJ

Media, PA 

Incorporated in 1850, the town of Media is perfect for folks who want suburban bliss just outside of Philadelphia. This town is the seat of Delaware County and is a highly rated place to live if you want to cut down on commuting times.

At just 13 miles west of Rittenhouse Square, this small town of about 5,000 people is rich in history and housing stock, so expect to find new construction homes mingling with older homes from the turn of the century. Downtown Media centers around North Olive Street, extending north and south for a few blocks, where small shops and restaurants are intermingled with classic row homes. 

Commuters can drive to Philly in about 45 minutes via the 476, heading south towards I-95 south, which goes up the eastern side of Philadelphia, close to the water. Meanwhile, people using public transportation can take the light rail green line at Orange Street Station and connect to the blue line into the heart of Philly. 

The Media South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) also offers trains heading directly to Center City.

Doylestown, PA 

In the northern countryside, 40 miles beyond the city limits of Philadelphia, you will find the bucolic Doylestown, PA. Considering you are over an hour by car or train, this suburb works best for people who only have to travel to Philadelphia a few times a month. 

East State Street and Main Street are where locals hang out for food at Coach's Steak and Hoagies or grab a drink at Chambers 19 Bistro and Bar. There are historic rowhouses near the town center and stately Victorians further out from the quaint downtown. 

Despite the distance, you can still get to Philadelphia easily via Doylestown SEPTA line, the last stop on the line, which means getting a seat is all but guaranteed for the morning commute. 

Drivers have a leg up in Doylestown, as can take Easton Road south to I-276 and heading east until you hit I-95. Then it's a straight shot to Philadelphia alongside the Delaware River. 

Conversely, you can head west on I-276 and get to the western side of Philadelphia via I-76 through Conshohocken. 

Ardmore, PA 

Nestled in the suburbs west of Philadelphia is the quaint town of Ardmore. 

At about 10 miles northwest of Center City, this community of 12,000 is ideal for folks who need quick access to the city but want a home on a large plot of land. Homebuyers can expect to see big homes in Ardmore that are far from the street. 

Regarding commuting, there are a few options available, and all can get you to Philadelphia quickly. Drivers can head west towards Penn Valley to hop on I-75 and avoid driving through the West Philadelphia traffic. Yet, the fastest way into Philadelphia is via the Paoli/Thorndale SEPTA train, which can get you into Philly in less than 20 minutes. 

Lancaster Avenue is where you will find a cluster of big-box retailers and grocery stores like Trader Joe's. This area is also where commuters will hop on the train at the Ardmore Train Station, making grocery shopping a breeze before heading home. 

Conshohocken, PA

You do not need to live in Northern Liberties to find some hip spots in Pennsylvania, so long as there are cool places to buy homes like Conshohocken, PA. 

This growing riverside community is right on the shores of the Schuylkill River, about 15 miles away from the heart of Philadelphia. Plus, a SEPTA line here can take you to the city's heart in about 40 minutes. 

Conshohocken is a hot destination for folks who want to live in a semi-bustling town with plenty of bars and restaurants. East Elm Street, East Hector Street, and Spring Mill Avenue, all near the water, are where you can go from pub to pub for a drink. Make sure to stop in at the local Conshohocken Brewing Company. 

There is a traditional main street on Fayette Street, where you can find grocery stores and pharmacies. Conshohocken is an older community, so expect to see a lot of renovated rowhouses, duplexes, and plenty of Victorian-styled homes to explore. 

Swarthmore, PA 

If you find yourself longing for open space, but needing to be close to Philadelphia, then Swarthmore, PA, might be for you. The town is named after Swarthmore College, which has the Scott Arboretum connected to it. 

Even in the residential streets, the thickets of trees make one feel like they are in a forest. But the busy streets of Philly are not too far away. You can use public transit options like the SEPTA train on the Media/Wawa line which can place you near the University of Pennsylvania in about 30 minutes. 

Drivers can use I-95 to come around the south of Philly and travel north along the Delaware River to head into the city's eastern side. 

When folks hang out in town on the weekends, South Chester Road is one of the top places they frequent. Here, you can find a small grocery store and Swarthmore Pizza, which can fill up quickly with hungry students. 

Haddonfield, NJ

For those who need easy access to the southeastern side of Philadelphia, Haddonfield, NJ, is the perfect town to look for homes. 

The PATCO regional rail train in Haddonfield is the easiest way to reach Philadelphia, as a ride on the train only takes 30 minutes or so to get to the Love Park area. Drivers have a few options, such as taking I-76 over the Walt Witman bridge into South Philly or going farther north on I-676 to take the Benjamin Franklin Bridge into the Old City area of Philly. 

Kings Highway in the center of Haddonfield is where you can find the commercial district for the town, along with the PATCO station. While the properties are smaller in Haddonfield, there are large two and three-story homes around the area. 

Cherry Hill, NJ 

Only some people who work in Philadelphia plan to live in Pennsylvania. Luckily, there are plenty of homes in nearby New Jersey, right across the Delaware River from the City of Brotherly Love. One of the top choices for homebuyers in Cherry Hill, NJ. 

The intersection of Kings Highway North and I-70 west is the main commercial drag in this city of 70,000. This junction is where locals can find big-box stores flanking mom-and-pop restaurants. The New Jersey Turnpike runs through the southeastern side of this Camden County township, making it easy to reach other parts of the Garden State. 

But for the daily commute, most folks will drive over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to get to Center City. Another popular way to reach Philly is via the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) line, which has a station in downtown Camden accessible via a 405 Bus route in Cherry Hill. 

Moorestown, NJ

Moorestown, NJ, might be the right fit for homebuyers who want large properties but not a long commute. 

At 15 or so miles from Philadelphia, this suburb is within reach of drivers who want to take the Betsy Ross Bridge to reach North Philly or the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to get into the city's center. You can also hop on the 317 bus line to head to Franklin Square Park within 30 minutes. 

Most of Moorestown is residential, where orderly streets are arrayed in a grid format. A mix of home styles, from ranches to renovated Victorians, can be found among the housing stock. Moorestown covers a large area, but most residents spend their time on West Main Street for shopping and dining. 

Pizza is popular, as Passariello's and Healthy Garden & Gourmet Pizza battle to attract patrons. Yet there are other terrific options like Luna Y Sol Mexican Restaurant. Farther to the east on Main Street, you will find the big-box stores and quick service restaurants at the Centerton Mall near the New Jersey Turnpike. 

Delanco, NJ

If you want big homes on the shores of the Delaware river, consider extending your search to Delanco, NJ. 

This small town of 4,000 is about 15 miles from Center City, so it is just far enough away to enjoy peace and quiet near the river, yet close enough to Philadelphia for commuting each day. Drivers can drive south and cross over into Philadelphia via the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. The Riverline Light Rail takes folks from Delanco to Camden, where they can hop on a PATCO train or take a quick bus ride into Philly. 

While there is no bustling downtown like Haddonfield, locals love to grab a scoop of ice cream from The Ice Cream Bar on Vine Street, then head down to the waterfront near the historic Zurbrugg Mansion, a Georgian-styled masterpiece. 

While other homes may not have the same luxury, most of the homes in Delanco are on well-sized lots with plenty of trees. Plus, the coveted waterfront homes provide serene views of the river if you can snag one.