Building started slowly in the area just to the north of the station, gathering pace in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with two- and three-bedroom terraced houses.

Two miles (3 km) to the south is the former village of Old Malden the origins of which are Anglo-Saxon, the name being Old English for Mæl + duna = "the cross on the hill".

In 1936 Malden and Coombe was granted full Borough status, with its own Mayor, and had the rare distinction of a civic mace bearing the royal insignia of King Edward VIII.

After dropping about 150 bombs, German aircraft reportedly flew over the railway station at low altitude and machine-gunned passengers as they disembarked from a train.

[8] In the 2001 census, some small areas of New Malden had "Other Asian" (i.e., not Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Chinese) populations of "over 25%", though no whole ward reached over 20%.

[13][10] New Malden functions as the shopping and cultural centre for a Korean population spread more widely across South-West London and the neighbouring counties.

[6] Some factors cited in The Daily Telegraph as reasons why the Korean community formed in New Malden included a 1950s joint venture partnership between a chaebol and Racal Avionics (formerly Decca), Lord Chancellor's Walk in Coombe Lane West previously serving as the residence of the Ambassador of South Korea to the United Kingdom, and Samsung Electronics having its UK offices in New Malden until they moved to their current location in Chertsey, Surrey in 2005.

[8] There is a Hindu temple in the eastern part of Burlington Road with a notable community of predominantly Sri Lankan Tamils living in the area.

In 2016 New Malden gained twin city status with Jaffna, Sri Lanka and a permanent plaque was erected to celebrate this.

The company also has shops in Cobham and Dorking and expanded by acquiring department stores Elphicks of Farnham in October 2004, and Knights of Reigate in September 2006.

A monthly publication, The Village Voice,[28] covers local history, news, topical articles and advertisements for businesses serving the community.

There is an annual Malden Fortnight, which includes a parade showcasing all the local schools and community groups and various other activities.

There was also a silent cinema on Coombe Road by the station, which became the New Malden Gentlemen's Club in 1923; this closed in August 2010, and is now a Korean karaoke and pool bar.