[3] The area was originally settled in the 17th century by Welsh immigrants who purchased land from William Penn.

[4] On the evening of September 20, 1777, near Malvern, General Charles Grey and nearly 5,000 British soldiers launched a surprise attack on a Patriot encampment, which became known as the Battle of Paoli.

Wayne's reputation was tarnished by the high casualties suffered in the battle, and he demanded a formal court-martial to clear his name.

[8] In 1873, the community’s name was changed to Malvern when the Philadelphia and Columbia's successor, the Pennsylvania Railroad, straightened its tracks through the village.

In 1879, the Malvern Friends Meeting was built at the northwest corner of Woodland Avenue and Roberts Lane, followed by the arrival of the Presbyterians and the Methodists prior to 1900.

[10] Malvern Borough has a mix of residential styles and neighborhoods, retail and industrial businesses, dedicated open land, and numerous civic, cultural, and religious organizations.

[15] Siemens Healthcare, Ricoh Americas Corporation (formerly IKON Office Solutions), The Vanguard Group, Liberty Property Trust, The Center for Professional Innovation & Education Corporation, Cerner, Vishay Intertechnology, CertainTeed, Endo International and AmericanMuscle are among the companies based in Malvern.

The Malvern Patch, a local newspaper, stated that Kimberton Whole Foods will be opening its fifth location in the East King Street area.

[18] The projected occupancy date for the East King Street area is late summer 2013 according to the developer.

Theodore S.A. Rubino Memorial Park is located at the corner of East Broad Street and Old Lincoln Highway.

It includes a baseball/softball field, basketball courts, and access to trails near Massacre Run and Paoli Battlefield.

John and Marion Herzak Park[23] is a public basketball court on the corner of Bridge Street and Old Lincoln Highway.

Another feature of the memorial grounds is several plaques and stone obelisks, representing American sacrifices in war.

There is a trail paralleling Ruth Run through the Malvern Retreat House Forest to Rustmont Village.

[29] Villa Maria Academy is located less than a mile to the east of the border of Malvern Borough, in Willistown Township.

Two institutions for higher education include Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies and Immaculata University, both within the Malvern ZIP code.

The Borough of Malvern is served by two newspapers: the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily Local News.

The preface to Bushido: The Soul of Japan, by Nitobe Inazō, is signed "Malvern, Pa., Twelfth Month, 1899.