Malvern PA 1st Presby PHS332, 1923
Malvern’s story
150 years in pictures
Census counts: 641 in 1890, 3,419 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1923 and 7 maps from 1906 on.
- 1876Malvern is settled
Photo: Smallbones · Public domain
Population
3,427
2025 Census estimate · +0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$795K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$118K
median
Median age
46.4
years
Jobs based here
1,924
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#8 of 1032 in PA
Is Malvern a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Malvern earns an A+, 8th of 1032 graded towns in Pennsylvania. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 98% of the country, it reports less crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns, and its schools outperform 92% of the state's. The exception is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $795K for a typical one and 8.7 times the Philadelphia metro’s $91K median household income. 70% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Malvern, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 29%. On hazard risk, just 10 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns do better. Paoli Battlefield, at 39 acres with 1.3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
What makes Malvern stand out
Where Malvern beats most towns.
Get outside
4 miles of trails in Malvern
14.1% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Malvern grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Malvern is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 1% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →HealthPaoli Hospital 1 miles awayA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 18.1 of 20; 5.3% of households have no car; 4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA+Open →SafetyA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →Jobs & income$118K median household incomeAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trails; 14% conserved landA+Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 231 attractions →USS New Jersey and 180 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Malvern. Close and well known come first.
Big draw21 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw21 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw20 mi MuseumLynnewood Hall
Big draw19 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
Big draw20 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Lynnewood Hall: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Malvern: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Malvern, and how to reach them.
PowerPECO Energy18.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAqua Pa Main System1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFridayTown pickupTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereChester County Board of ElectionsChester County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code1935519355 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Malvern.
Malvern has less tooth loss than most of Pennsylvania and trades workers with Philadelphia and other neighbors, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Pennsylvania.
HousingCost of living grade D
Malvern’s grade for cost of living is a D
At 8.7 years of the Philadelphia metro’s $91K median household income, the typical home (about $795K) costs more against local pay than in 99% of Pennsylvania towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $5,525, against $3,311 across Pennsylvania, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Malvern’s median rent is $2,169 a month. The typical Malvern home is worth about $795,000, up 2.4% in a year, 3 times the Pennsylvania typical home. 56% of households own their home in Malvern.
$795KZillow home value
| Malvern | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,169 a month | $1,114 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 56% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
Malvern$795K
Pennsylvania$287K
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA
Malvern’s grade for schools is an A
Its A for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $795K.
Its two schools are below.
92%of PA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willistown Country Day School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 38 | – |
| Malvern Preparatory School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 665 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsA+
Conserved land covers 14.1% of Malvern
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #21 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania.
3.9 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The trail density in Malvern is 3.0 miles per square mile.
#31for trails in PA
14.1%
conserved · 114 of 805 acres
3.9 mi
of trails · 3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Randolph Woods | 1.5 mi | 38 |
| 2. Paoli Battlefield | 1.3 mi | 39 |
| 3. Paoli Memorial Association | 0.2 mi | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA+
Malvern stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally, with fewer of its adults who report frequent mental distress
Its widest gap with Pennsylvania is tooth loss: 6.3% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 14.5% statewide.
12% of Malvern adults report frequent mental distress. Malvern beats the Pennsylvania average on 16 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 9.2% of Malvern adults report frequent physical distress.
98%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Malvern | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.2% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 8.2% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 38% | 36% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
16 better10 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Malvern | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.3% | 14.5% |
| Fewer smokers | 8.2% | 15.8% |
Paoli Hospital
1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
99th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA+
Malvern’s grade for safety is an A+
Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
95%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Malvern0
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Malvern2.9
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
95th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
90th
percentile among PA towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
10
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The FEMA risk score in Malvern is lower than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
Since 2005, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Malvern. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 99% of U.S. communities.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2005
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Malvern has four seasons and pleasant summers
Malvern has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 23° and about 8 inches of snow falls in a winter.
8″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring41–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall46–65°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most working residents commute out of Malvern
Malvern has about as many jobs (1,924) as working residents, but only 83 people both live and work here. 24.7% of workers work from home, against 15.6% across Pennsylvania.
Most working residents leave Malvern for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Malvern has added 251 jobs, to 1,924 in 2023. The top destinations are Philadelphia (12%), Tredyffrin Township (10%) and East Whiteland Township (6%).
5%work in town
| Malvern | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $118,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.9% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Malvern5%
Philadelphia12%
Tredyffrin Township10%
East Whiteland Township6%
Upper Merion Township5%
10 mi
median commute distance
1,924
jobs based in Malvern
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Malvern
20pages on Malvern
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 92% of PA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyA+0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than PA on 16 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingD$795K typical home · up 2.4% in a yearWork & commuteA$118K median household income · 1,924 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 1% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
22 within 15 miles of the center of Malvern
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Great ValleyUniversity or college · Public · Malvern1.4 miImmaculata UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Immaculata2.9 mi$29,330 tuitionDelaware County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Media7.9 mi$6,930 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Malvern residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A growing town
Malvern has grown 14% since 2010
2,998 counted in 2010 and 3,419 in 2020; an estimated 3,427 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 14% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
About Malvern
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is 19.4 miles (31.2 km) west of Philadelphia. The population was 3,419 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1889
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 551 ft
- ZIP code
- 19355
Malvern’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Malvern.
Willistown TownshipPaoliEast Whiteland TownshipMalvern
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malvern | #8 | A+ | D | A+ | A | A+ |
| Willistown Township | #14 | A+ | D | A | A | A+ |
| Paoli | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| East Whiteland Township | #124 | A | D | B+ | A | A+ |
Paoli isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Malvern with a neighbor →
Questions about Malvern
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Malvern, PA a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Malvern grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #8 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades A+ for health, A+ for safety and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Malvern, PA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Malvern, PA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Frank Spellman and Pat Tryson.