Is Malvern, PA a Good Place to Live?
Malvern is a small town of 3,389 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $115,743 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Malvern stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Malvern is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Malvern 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: 103.5Malvern's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Malvern costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Malvern, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $473,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,832 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $115,743 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMalvern's violent crime rate is 29.2 per 100,000 residents — 92% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Malvern is served primarily by Great Valley SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Malvern, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Great Valley SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Malvern sees average highs of 41.0°F in January and 87.7°F in July, with 45.1 inches of annual precipitation and 30.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Malvern, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.0°F |
| Average High — July | 87.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Malvern, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,389 | — |
| Median Age | 46.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 84.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 12.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.4% | 16.8% |