The Town FilesBala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
Community in Montgomery County · population 9,285 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $640,400
- Household income
- $150,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 39.6
Bala Cynwyd is a community of 9,285 people in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $640,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better transit than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 93% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Bala Cynwyd ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bala Cynwyd is worth $640,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $150,000, which is more affordable than 5% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,886 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bala Cynwyd | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $640,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,886 | $996 |
| Median household income | $150,000 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Bala Cynwyd
| People | Bala Cynwyd | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.8% | — |
| Work from home | 31.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bala Cynwyd
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 27.8°F. About 50.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 62 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bala Cynwyd since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 1, 2021 about 6.6 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 25 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 1, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 6, 2023.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 505,821 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $88,412 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Bala Cynwyd itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Bala Cynwyd
3 public schools with 1,582 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bala-Cynwyd MS | 5-8 | 796 | 10.0 |
| Cynwyd Sch | K-4 | 442 | 12.6 |
| Belmont Hills El Sch | K-4 | 344 | 10.8 |
Towns near Bala Cynwyd
- Merion Station, PA1.3 mi · 5,741 people · home $886,600
- Narberth, PA1.9 mi · 4,492 people · home $749,500
- Penn Wynne, PA2.9 mi · 6,493 people · home $555,500
- Lower Merion, PA3.0 mi · 63,633 people · home $810,400
- Ardmore, PA3.6 mi · 13,566 people · home $453,100
- Bryn Mawr, PA4.7 mi · 5,879 people · home $453,400
- East Lansdowne, PA5.0 mi · 2,714 people · home $200,400
- Haverford, PA5.0 mi · 50,431 people · home $466,400
Bala Cynwyd questions
Is Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bala Cynwyd scores better for retirees than 47% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 11%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Bala Cynwyd?
The median owner-occupied home in Bala Cynwyd is valued at $640,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $150,000, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,886 a month.
What is the weather like in Bala Cynwyd?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 27.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.1 inches of snow.
Does Bala Cynwyd get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bala Cynwyd since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 1, 2021. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)