Malvern is a city in Mills County, Iowa, home to about 1,323 people across 1.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 51551.
Homes sold for a median of $250 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Malvern. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Malvern’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)26 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE30 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL413 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Malvern; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Malvern had 1,046 residents in the 2020 census, down 17% since 2000.
It’s the 238th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Mills County grew from 16,764 residents in 1900 to 14,484 in 2020.
Mills County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 12°F. About 34.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 24 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Glenwood 3sw, IA weather station (10 miles away).
2,291 jobs at 331 businesses in Mills County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
6 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Malvern.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 2 |
| Mental health providers | 1 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by East Mills Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Mills Elementary SchoolMalvern | Pre-K–5 | 214 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| East Mills Jr/Sr High SchoolMalvern | 6–12 | 234 | Public | 0.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.