Is Bala Cynwyd, PA a Good Place to Live?
Bala Cynwyd is a small town of 9,020 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $138,403 and a 4.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Bala Cynwyd stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Bala Cynwyd is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bala Cynwyd city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 103.5Bala Cynwyd's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bala Cynwyd costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Bala Cynwyd, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $605,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,681 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $138,403 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Bala Cynwyd is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Bala Cynwyd is served primarily by Lower Merion SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bala Cynwyd, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lower Merion SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bala Cynwyd sees average highs of 41.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 48.8 inches of annual precipitation and 16.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Bala Cynwyd, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.6°F |
| Average High — July | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Bala Cynwyd, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,020 | — |
| Median Age | 42.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 12.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Bala Cynwyd
Bala Cynwyd, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: