United States › Massachusetts › Chester CITY
Chester Massachusetts · 681 residents · 1.40 sq mi
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The short version
Chester is a city of 681 people in Massachusetts. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 0% of people here were born outside the United States. People stay put here: 99% were in the same home a year ago. The poverty rate is 2.2%, under the national 12.5%. Households here earn about 26% less than in Massachusetts as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 496 / sq mi in 2023
US average: 281
from 42.6 in 2023
US average: 38.9
Population, 2010 – 2024
526 605 684 762 841 2010 2020 2024 Chester Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $77,143
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $86,042 in 2023
US average: $82,259
from $29,152 in 2023
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 61.2% in 2023
US average: 53.3%
from 2.9% in 2023
US average: 12.5%
from 0.217 in 2023
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 15.1%
Public administration 4.3%
Transportation & warehousing 3.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
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$257,400
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $203,300 in 2023
US average: $376,019
$1,102
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $1,095 in 2023
US average: $1,442
from 70.5% in 2023
33.9% rent
from 20.8% in 2023
US average: 10.0%
from 3.09 people in 2023
US average: 2.54
from 14.6% in 2023
US average: 22.9%
from 34.8% in 2023
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2023
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2023
White, non-Hispanic 98.4%(681)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 97.8%(666)
from 4 in 2023
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 5 more ancestry groups with data from 16.1% in 2023
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 97.9% in 2023
US average: 89.6%
from 8.5% in 2023
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 29.9 min in 2023
US average: 26.5
from 91.2% in 2023
US average: 68.9%
from 2.3% in 2023
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 3.2%
from 1.8% in 2023
US average: 15.0%
from 3.8% in 2023
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 0.4%
from 2.7% in 2023
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.6% in 2023
US average: 5.2%
from 72.3% in 2023
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 74.6%
from 10.3% in 2023
US average: 13.1%
from 25.3% in 2023
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 14.1%
from 4.0% in 2023
US average: 6.2%
from 14.5% in 2023
US average: 13.3%
from 7.1% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
from 83.0% in 2023
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
US average: 95.5%
from 99.6% in 2023
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.1% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
US average: 2.2%
Any private
US average: 67.1%
Any public
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 45.5%(10)
Gulf War (1990s) 45.5%(10)
Share of the 22 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Chester Head to head
Compare Chester to nearby cities CHESTER VS
Westfield
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Home value $325,100 +26%
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CHESTER VS
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CHESTER VS
Holyoke
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CHESTER VS
Pittsfield
Income $70,582 −9%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Chester, Massachusetts? Chester, Massachusetts has about 681 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chester, Massachusetts? The typical household in Chester, Massachusetts earns about $77,143 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chester, Massachusetts expensive? In Chester, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $257,400, and the typical rent is about $1,102 a month.
How educated are people in Chester, Massachusetts? About 15.1% of adults age 25 and over in Chester, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chester, Massachusetts? About 2.2% of people in Chester, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
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