Study Ranks Malvern as Leading Township for Business

A combination of low tax burden and high employment growth has made Malvern one of the top boroughs for business in the western Philadelphia region, according to a recent study.

The study, conducted by Econsult Solutions and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, places Malvern second in the area’s 10 largest business locations in terms of total job growth and its overall business-friendly tax environment. The borough only trails Tredyffrin in the rankings.

The study, commissioned by Upper Merion Township and the KOP Business Improvement District (BID), compared the local tax structure for businesses of varying sizes and industry types.

“Malvern, also with a lower overall tax burden on business, has had employment growth nearly three times that of King of Prussia/Upper Merion Township,” the study says.

Malvern leads Tredyffrin and King of Prussia in the assessed value of commercial assets, jumping 14.6 percent from $1.2 billion in 2000 to $1.4 billion in 2011. Its property tax revenues rose 13.1 percent from $554,339 in 2000 to $627,000 in 2011, behind Tredyffrin’s 27.8 percent growth.

Differentiated by the lack of Business/Mercantile and Earned Income Taxes, Tredyffrin Township has had far greater growth (167 percent) in total jobs from 2003 to 2013 when compared to its neighbors along Route 202, Upper Merion (25 percent) and Malvern (70 percent).