Camden and Malvern receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Camden
Malvern
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs25 · Bottom 12%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs96 · Top 18%
Access
45 · Bottom 3%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
23 · Bottom 3%
vs21 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Camden | Malvern | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,307 | 10,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,361 | $46,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,226 | $17,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 624/sq mi | 1,132/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $107,400 | $104,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $768 | $764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.5% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -70.0% | -71.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.1" | 52.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 88 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.85 | 10.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.0% | 65.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Camden
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, strong wind.
Malvern
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, lightning, hail.
Full profiles: Camden, AR · Malvern, AR · How this is calculated: methodology