West Chester University is in West Chester, a town that has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786. With a population of about 20,000, the borough is small enough to have the pleasant aspects of a tree-shaded American town, large enough to contain essential services and the substance of a vigorous community, and old enough to give the student exposure to America's early history.
Students can walk to West Chester's many churches.
The town has excellent stores and a fine hospital. West Chester was settled in the early 18th century, principally by members of the Society of Friends. D.C. West Chester today is part of the rapidly growing suburban complex surrounding Philadelphia and offers interesting opportunitities for the study of local, county, and regional government in a period of change and growth. Philadelphia is 25 miles to the east and Wilmington 17 miles to the south, putting the libraries, museums, and other cultural and historical resources of both cities in easy reach. Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, and other historical attractions are near West Chester.