Lower Merion Sd, PA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Lower Merion Sd

Lower Merion School District serves a large suburban enrollment across kindergarten through grade twelve. The district covers multiple affluent townships and boroughs in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, including Ardmore, Bala-Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr, Gladwyne, Haverford, Merion Station, Narberth, Villanova, Wynnewood, and portions of Conshohocken and Havertown. Housing values across the district vary considerably by neighborhood, from moderate in some areas to among the highest in the county, with the market showing recent modest price appreciation overall and moderate rental inventory for the region. This is a stable, affluent suburban community where home prices and rental rates reflect demand for access to the district's schools.

State testing proficiency in the most recent assessment year was strong across both mathematics and English language arts at the elementary and middle grades tested. The district sits in the top quartile among Montgomery County's districts for overall proficiency. Chronic absenteeism, a measure of students missing eighteen or more days per school year, runs below the county median, suggesting good engagement. Per-pupil current spending is above the midpoint for the county, placing the district in the upper range of spending among its neighbors. A four-year graduation rate for high school was not available in the data provided.

The district operates a broad elementary-middle-high school structure across eleven schools. Three middle schools and two high schools serve the upper grades. Fifth graders were moved into middle schools and placed in a two-teacher team model alongside sixth graders, a curriculum reorganization that reshaped the elementary-to-middle transition and changed which building students attend at that juncture.

Two significant district-level changes affect families. A property tax settlement concluded in June 2022 returned funds to taxpayers after a class-action lawsuit over the district's tax practices; the settlement included an initial payout to residents as of a specified date, with additional installments distributed through 2025. Separately, in March 2023 the school board voted to shift start times district-wide beginning fall 2024: high school moved to 8:40 a.m., middle school begins at 8:00 a.m., and elementary school at 9:20 a.m. This restructured morning routines, transportation, and after-school schedules for all families in the district.

The student body is predominantly white, with Asian, Black, and multiracial students each representing a meaningful share of enrollment. Hispanic enrollment is present but smaller. Specific counts for students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and English learners were not available in the data. The district's enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across grade levels, with slightly higher numbers in the high school grades.

Lower Merion's academic standing, spending level, and housing market position it as a high-performing suburban district that draws families prioritizing strong test results and school stability. The recent tax settlement and start-time changes represent the kinds of operational shifts that reshape daily life for households in the community. A parent considering the district would benefit from visiting schools, learning more about course offerings and program breadth at the secondary level, and speaking directly to the district about transportation logistics and the full scope of academic and extracurricular pathways available.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

8,518

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 6%

Black 9%

White 64%

Asian 11%

Two+ 9%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

39%

—

Gr 4

53%

—

Gr 5

57%

—

Gr 6

66%

—

Gr 7

66%

—

Gr 8

67%

—

Gr 38

58%

—

Math

Gr 3

53%

—

Gr 4

56%

—

Gr 5

66%

—

Gr 6

59%

—

Gr 7

54%

—

Gr 8

49%

—

Gr 38

56%

—

Schools in this District

11 schools are officially reported under this district.

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

81%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

82%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.06M

Year-over-year change+5.2%

Range across 11 ZIP codes$499K to $1.6M

vs. state typical3.69x

vs. national typical2.87x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (11 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
19035	Gladwyne	$1.6M	+5.6%	19.5%
19010	Bryn Mawr	$908K	+4.8%	15.7%
19096	Wynnewood	$806K	+2.8%	13.8%
19072	Narberth	$839K	+6.7%	13.2%
19085	Villanova	$1.6M	+8.5%	11.2%
19004	Bala-Cynwyd	$673K	+3.6%	11.1%
19066	Merion Station	$1.1M	+7.0%	5.5%
19041	Haverford	$1.1M	+5.4%	4.4%
19003	Ardmore	$528K	+0.6%	3.8%
19428	Conshohocken	$499K	+1.9%	1.6%
19083	Havertown	$534K	+3.5%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,373/mo

Year-over-year change+1.9%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$1,687 to $2,862/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
19010	Bryn Mawr	$2,470	+9.1%	15.7%
19096	Wynnewood	$2,132	-7.8%	13.8%
19072	Narberth	$2,862	—	13.2%
19004	Bala-Cynwyd	$2,175	+3.2%	11.1%
19041	Haverford	$1,799	—	4.4%
19003	Ardmore	$2,375	+2.8%	3.8%
19428	Conshohocken	$2,432	+3.6%	1.6%
19083	Havertown	$1,687	—	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$5,339/mo

Home price / national median income12.6x

Annual rent / national median income34.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,967/mo

Market Activity: Montgomery County

Median listing price$542,000

Median listing price YoY-1.4%

Median price per sq ft$259

Median days on market27.3 days

Median days on market YoY+9.0%

Active listings1,133

Active listings YoY+12.3%

New listings1,016

New listings YoY-1.6%

Pending listings1,359

Pending listings YoY+1.2%

Hotness: median listing price$530,107

Hotness: median listing price YoY-3.2%

Supply score96.7

Supply score YoY-0.2%

Demand score82.9

Demand score YoY-5.1%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$286,387 (+2.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.