Any Questions. Any Home. Anytime.
Pocono Lake Region
In this market the community you choose matters more than the house. Dues, rental rules, lake access, road maintenance and resale all change the moment you cross a gate. Here is the honest comparison.
Which Pocono community should I buy in? If you want maximum amenities and the most active resale market, The Hideout. If you want lake beaches and docks with lower density, Indian Rocks. If you want pools, a water slide and rental activity, Wallenpaupack Lake Estates. If you want a walkable town, Hawley. If you want acreage without dues, Jefferson Township. If you want open water, Tafton or Paupack.
Side by Side
Listed the way Mark ranks them — by where this market actually trades.
| Community | County / Township | Character | Signature draw | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Ariel | Wayne · Lake & Salem Twps | Village hub, 18436 | Gateway to every gated community here | Buyers still deciding |
| The Hideout | Wayne · Lake Twp | Gated, ~3,200 homes | Golf, ski hill, beaches, Roamingwood Lake | Amenities and resale liquidity |
| Wallenpaupack Lake Estates | Pike · Greene Twp | Private, amenity-heavy | Indoor and outdoor pools, water slide, beaches | Families and rental activity |
| Indian Rocks | Wayne · Salem Twp | ~490 homes, 1,383 lots | Private beaches and docks on Wallenpaupack | Lake access, lower density |
| Lakeville | Wayne · Palmyra Twp | Quiet, 18438 | Northern shore waterfront and acreage | Privacy and real frontage |
| Jefferson Township | Lackawanna | Land, no gate | North Pocono schools, I-84 and I-380 | Full-time living and commuters |
| Tafton | Pike · Palmyra Twp | Compact, 18464 | Eastern shore, launches and marinas | Boaters |
| Greentown | Pike · Greene Twp | Widest price range, 18426 | Promised Land State Park, I-84 exit 20 | First-time second-home buyers |
| Hawley | Wayne · Borough | Walkable town, 18428 | Main Avenue dining, the Ritz, river | People who want a town |
| Paupack | Wayne · Paupack Twp | High-value shoreline, 18451 | Deeded Lake Wallenpaupack frontage | Top-end waterfront |
The Main Water
Pennsylvania's second-largest lake contained entirely within the state, and the single biggest driver of value in this market. It was created in 1926 when Wallenpaupack Creek was dammed for hydroelectric generation and flood control.
5,700
acres of surface water
52
miles of shoreline
13
miles long
60 ft
maximum depth
1926
year it was created
The lake forms part of the boundary between Wayne and Pike Counties, near the borough of Hawley. Public launches sit at Caffrey, Ironwood Point, Ledgedale and Wilsonville recreation areas. Critically for buyers: shoreline and dock permitting is administered by the company that owns and operates the reservoir, so an existing dock does not automatically convey with a sale, and an annual autumn drawdown dictates when boats and some docks must come out.
Featured Community
A private, gated four-season community in Lake Ariel with approximately 3,200 single-family homes across roughly 2,900 acres of Pocono woodland. More than 40 miles of paved roads, central water and sewer, a 24-hour gated entrance and its own public safety department — plus nearly 250 acres of preserved woodland inside the gate.
Waterfront Living
Wallenpaupack gets the headlines, but the smaller waters drive plenty of demand — and each has its own boating rules, from full power boating to electric motors only.
5,700 acres, 52 miles of shoreline, 13 miles long. Power boating, marinas, four public launches and the region's highest-value waterfront.
Deep dive on palakehouse.com
The village lake. Quiet, private access, charming older neighborhoods around it.
198 acres inside The Hideout. Power boating, water skiing and tubing, residents only.
Private lake community near Hawley. Quiet, family-oriented, strong year-round ownership.
Crystal Lake at Pocono Springs, Lake Henry, Deerfield and Brooks — each with its own character.
By County
Tax structures, school districts and permitting all change at the county and township line. It matters more here than buyers expect.
The heart of the Lake Region. Lake Ariel, The Hideout, Indian Rocks, Lakeville, Hawley and Paupack all sit here, along with the northern and western Wallenpaupack shoreline.
The eastern and southern side of the lake. Greentown, Tafton and Wallenpaupack Lake Estates sit here, with Promised Land State Park and Delaware State Forest wrapped around them.
Where the Lake Region meets the Scranton commute. Jefferson Township, Moscow and the North Pocono corridor deliver land and year-round living without association dues.
Lifestyle
The Lake Region works in all four seasons, which is exactly why tri-state buyers pick it over shore towns that go dark in October.
Boating, fishing and beaches in summer. Foliage and hiking in autumn. Skiing, tubing, snowmobiling and ice fishing in winter.
Promised Land State Park at roughly 3,000 acres, Delaware State Forest around it, and the Lacawac Sanctuary on the lake.
Hawley for dinner and the Ritz, Honesdale for services and history, Scranton for hospitals, an airport and a real city.
Under two and a half hours from Manhattan, under two from most of North Jersey, via I-80 and I-380 or I-84.
Choosing
The largest are The Hideout in Lake Ariel with roughly 3,200 homes, Wallenpaupack Lake Estates in Greene Township, Pike County, and Indian Rocks in Salem Township, Wayne County with about 490 homes on 1,383 platted lots. Others in the wider area include Paupackan Lake Estates, Pocono Springs, Tanglwood Lakes and Fawn Lake Forest. Each sets its own dues, amenity package and rental policy.
The Hideout, by a clear margin. It carries three lakes including 198-acre Roamingwood Lake for power boating, a golf course, a ski hill with a tubing run, indoor and outdoor tennis, two heated pools, two sand beaches, mini golf, a fitness center, a clubhouse and lodge, campgrounds, an art center, a woodshop and a dog park, all behind a 24-hour gate.
Indian Rocks for community beaches and boat docks directly on Lake Wallenpaupack at a lower density. Paupack and Lakeville for deeded frontage on the northern and western shore. Tafton for quick launch and marina access at the eastern end. The Hideout if a large private lake inside a gated community appeals more than the big water.
Yes, mainly by looking outside the gated communities. A large share of Jefferson Township, and plenty of Lakeville, Hawley and rural Wayne and Pike County property, sits on township or private roads without an amenity association. The trade-off is that you also give up the beaches, pools, security and plowing that dues pay for.
Lake Ariel, The Hideout and Indian Rocks are largely Western Wayne School District. Hawley, Lakeville, Tafton, Paupack, Greentown and Wallenpaupack Lake Estates are largely Wallenpaupack Area School District. Jefferson Township is North Pocono School District. District lines do not follow ZIP codes, so confirm for a specific parcel.
Tell Mark how you want to spend a Saturday here and he will narrow ten communities down to two. Twenty minutes on the phone saves three wasted weekends.
Any Questions. Any Home. Anytime.
CENTURY 21 Select Group · 1226 Hamlin Hwy, Lake Ariel, PA 18436 · PA RS228108L
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