Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaChester CountyMalvern Population 3,427 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Malvern, Pennsylvania

A $460,000 home here costs

$3,635

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,365. The real number is $1,270 higher every month — 54% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Malvern median: $460,400
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $368,000 borrowed $2,365
Property tax1.229% effective rate for Malvern itself $471
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $154
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $383
Total monthly $3,635

Malvern against Chester County and Pennsylvania

MeasureMalvernChester County
Median home value$460,400$461,800
Median property tax$5,658$6,191
Effective tax rate1.229%1.341%
Median gross rent$1,886$1,691
Population3,427540,896

The weather behind that power bill

Malvern sits in Chester County, which averages a high of 83.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.7°F in its coldest, with 47.14" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 778 cooling and 5,359 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Chester County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Chester County

Full Chester County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Malvern?

A $460,000 home in Malvern, Pennsylvania costs approximately $3,635 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,365 principal and interest, $471 property tax, $154 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $383 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Malvern?

Malvern has an effective property tax rate of 1.229%, based on a median home value of $460,400 and median real estate taxes of $5,658. That is lower than the Chester County average of 1.341%.

What is the average home price in Malvern?

The median owner-occupied home value in Malvern, Pennsylvania is $460,400, against $461,800 across Chester County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Malvern?

Median gross rent in Malvern is $1,886 a month, against $3,635 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Malvern — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology