Located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Merion Station is an unincorporated community, part of Lower Merion Township. Renowned for its grand mansions and high-end population, it was named after Merionethshire, Wales, the homeland of its first settlers. Merion Station forms one of the communities making up the highly affluent Philadelphia Main Line.
The presence of such a prosperous suburb brings about many advantages to those living in it – from high-caliber shops and stores to several top-notch schools, as well as costlier real estate prices due to this position.
A wide selection of activities can be pursued within it or nearby, from golf courses to parks and other recreational sites. All these perks combined make Merion Station an ideal place for those desiring a comfortable life surrounded by nature and rich amenities.
Population
Based on the most recent report of the United States Census Bureau in July 2021, Merion Station has a total population of 44, 453 – a 0.10% decrease from 44, 498 total from the April 2020 census report.
The Merion Station area has a comparatively large Jewish population. Home to various conservative, orthodox, and reform Jewish congregations, this area provides ample worship for the faithful.
Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line is a Conservative Jewish house of prayer located there. Lower Merion Synagogue on Old Lancaster Rd., Aish HaTorah on Montgomery Ave., Young Israel of the Main Line on Montgomery Ave., and the Chabad Center of the Main Line at General Wayne Inn on Montgomery Ave. serve Orthodox Jews in the Merion region.
Demographics Data
- Racial Makeup: Merion Station is predominantly White, comprising 93.6% of the population. 2.1% are Black or African American, 2.7% are Asian, and 1.3% Hispanic or Latino.
- Education: An impressive 95.1% of the population has a high school diploma or higher, and an even more remarkable 76.7% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This shows just how well-educated our society is becoming and the importance of having an advanced education holds in today’s world.
- Citizenship: According to the recent census, 9.4% of people living in this country were born abroad while 12.3% of them speak another language other than English at home. Of these, 10.1% are reported to converse mainly in Hebrew.
History
Merion Station has a rich history and many of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Merion Meeting House, built in 1695 by Welsh settlers, is the oldest building in Pennsylvania and the second oldest building in the United States. This building has also been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The station building was constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1914 and it is a historic building itself. Edward W. Bok founded the Merion Civic Association in 1913 with the motto “To be Nation right and State right, we must first be Community right.”
Quality of Life
Merion Station is a charming and affluent suburban community with 85.72% of adults holding at least a 4-year degree and with a per capita income of $98,418 in 2018. It is no surprise that Merion Station has long been recognized as one of the most educated and wealthiest towns in the state.
The community’s economy has been heavily weighted toward white-collar occupations, with 97.49% of its workforce employed within such roles. Many professionals and managers call this leafy enclave home along with an abundance of salespersons, office workers, artists, designers, and media professionals.
Merion Station has also close proximity to an array of stores, restaurants, and other amenities so residents need not venture far to obtain the necessities they require in their daily lives. As demonstrated by its impressively high walk score and bike score figure – both respectively indicating how convenient it is to get around on foot or bicycle.
Healthcare
Merion Station lies nearby Lankenau Medical Center, part of the esteemed Main Line Health System. This comprehensive system comprises two other hospitals: Bryn Mawr and Paoli. Lankenau has traditionally affiliated with Jefferson or Hahnemann (now Drexel) medicine colleges and often features on America’s top community hospital lists.
Lancaster Avenue in Wynnewood is home to Lankenau, providing care for residents of Merion Station along with those from a wider area. Its inclusion in the revered Main Line Health System grants added advantages such as referrals, shared resources, and improved patient care.
Education
Merion Station is a suburban residential community located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It has its own public elementary school, Merion Elementary of the Lower Merion School District, located on South Bowman Avenue. Notable educational institutions situated nearby include:
- The all-girls Merion Mercy Academy
- Kohelet Yeshiva High School (formerly Stern Hebrew High School)
- Waldron Mercy Academy, which is a Catholic coeducational school
This area holds plenty of educational opportunities for itself and its residents. Beyond what is available within this community, Lower Merion Township provides additional resources and amenities that benefit those who live in Merion Station.
Transportation
Traveling in Merion Station, PA is convenient. SEPTA Route 44, SEPTA Route 65, and SEPTA Route 105 buses provide efficient transportation to downtown Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. The Paoli-Thorndale Line runs through Merion Station, making it a popular transit option for commuters.
The average commute time for residents of Merion Station is 29.3 minutes, slightly longer than the national average of 26.4 minutes. This higher commute time may be attributed to congestion due to road construction or visitors attending events at nearby Villanova University. Drivers can also take advantage of carpool lanes during peak hours and off-peak driving times for more efficient transit.
What are the Points of Interest in Merion Station?
Merion Station is home to a variety of stunning points of interest, ranging from its historical Merion Meeting House to the Barnes Foundation.
The Meeting House was originally built in 1695 by Welsh settlers and has since become a National Historic Landmark, while the Merion Friends Meeting House – one of the oldest Quaker meeting houses that are still standing across the US – is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Merion Civic Association, founded in 1913 by Edward W. Bok, has also made several improvements to Merion including paving and better fire and police protection.
The Barnes Foundation is an important art collection housed in a granite mansion on Latches Lane which contains an impressive array of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The collection has been transferred to a new museum building situated on Benjamin Franklin Parkway that replicates Barnes’ original gallery in the area.
Visitors to Merion can also enjoy the Arboretum at the Barnes Foundation, located within Merion Botanical Park.
Also nearby is General Wayne Park which was once used for horse racing as well as entertainment events, now spanning across Maplewood Road and Revere Roads, creating quite a spectacle along with its grounds when visited within the community north of Montgomery Avenue known as ‘Merion Park’.
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