We'll rank all 20 communities, from Stroudsburg to Lake Wallenpaupack, and show your top choices right on the map.
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Each community is rated on schools, year-round feel, rental rules and income, lake access, ski access, walkable town life, amenities, commute, parks and family recreation, hospital access, shopping, golf, dining and nightlife, and quiet and privacy, using October 2026 market research. Your answers decide which of those matter most to you.
The county seat and the only true Main Street downtown in the Poconos, with independent restaurants, coffee shops, the Sherman Theater and the Levee Loop trail. Commuters use I-80 and the Martz bus to New York.
Best for: Couples, families, empty nesters and singles who want to walk to dinner.
A university town built around East Stroudsburg University, with restaurants and bars on Washington Street and Shawnee Mountain and the Delaware River minutes away. Homes sell fast.
Best for: Singles, first-time buyers and anyone who wants town life for less.
A small river village at the entrance to the national recreation area, with the Appalachian Trail through town, Mount Tammany hikes and the Deer Head Inn jazz club.
Best for: Couples, retirees and hikers who want a quiet village near I-80.
The West End's everyday hub along Route 209, with supermarkets, services and the Pleasant Valley campus. Effort offers bigger lots and newer homes a few minutes away.
Best for: Families and Lehigh Valley commuters.
The priciest West End address, set on Saylors Lake and Lake Mineola with quick Route 33 access. Homes go under contract in about 18 days.
Best for: Families who want lake living and an easy commute.
The West End's most rural and affordable corner, with larger lots, Blue Mountain Resort nearby and the West End Fair in Gilbert every August.
Best for: Value buyers who want land and quiet.
Home to Camelback Mountain and its Aquatopia waterpark, Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge, the Crossings Premium Outlets and Big Pocono State Park.
Best for: Ski families and second-home buyers who want attractions close by.
The top of the Poconos luxury market. Lake Naomi Club offers a private lake, beaches, tennis and a clubhouse, and Pocono Pines has a small village with restaurants.
Best for: Luxury second-home buyers and retirees.
A historic resort community founded in 1901, with golf, tennis, waterfalls and stone cottages. Covenants rule out short-term rentals.
Best for: Retirees and owners who will use the home themselves.
The Plateau's town center and the lowest typical price in the metro, with supermarkets, dining and quick access to Kalahari and Camelback. More inventory is giving buyers room to negotiate.
Best for: Investors and first-time buyers.
Large amenity communities like Pocono Farms and Pocono Country Place, with lakes, pools and clubhouses, plus Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro state parks.
Best for: First-time investors and value second-home buyers.
Private lake communities with beaches and boating. Arrowhead and Locust Lake Village supply much of the area's rental income.
Best for: Investors and families who want a lake at an entry price.
Five lakes, sandy beaches, indoor and outdoor pools and a lodge, minutes from Pocono Raceway and Kalahari.
Best for: Large-group rental owners and families.
Walk-to-slopes and lakefront homes between Jack Frost and Big Boulder, with Split Rock Resort on the lake and Pocono Raceway minutes away.
Best for: Ski investors and lake second-home buyers.
Wooded lake communities including Towamensing Trails and Indian Mountain Lake, with beaches, pools and clubhouses. Four-bedroom-plus homes earn the most as rentals.
Best for: Cabin buyers and value investors.
A Victorian river town in the Lehigh Gorge with Broadway's shops and restaurants, the Asa Packer Mansion, the scenic railroad, whitewater rafting and the rail-trail.
Best for: Couples, retirees and anyone who wants charm and a real downtown.
Historic, walkable Milford with Broad Street dining, Grey Towers and Raymondskill Falls, plus top-rated Delaware Valley schools and a quick I-84 commute. Matamoras adds train access from Port Jervis.
Best for: Families who put schools first, and New York and New Jersey commuters.
A gated community in Lords Valley with 24-hour security, lakes, pools, tennis and a fitness center, plus Delaware Valley schools.
Best for: Retirees and second-home owners who want security and amenities.
Pennsylvania's big boating lake, with marinas and beaches, and Hawley as its hub: the restored Silk Mill, The Settlers Inn and the Ledges Hotel.
Best for: Boaters, lake second-home buyers and retirees.
Large amenity communities near the Delaware Water Gap with pools, a ski hill and clubhouses. New rental licenses are frozen, so investors need an already-licensed home.
Best for: Second-home buyers who want amenities at a mid price.
Typical values from Zillow and MLS data, mid-2026. Rental rules change often; confirm with the township and HOA before buying.
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