United States › Pennsylvania › Chester CITY
Chester Pennsylvania · 33,996 residents (2025 est.) · 4.83 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Chester is a city of 33,619 people in Pennsylvania. 40% of homes are owner-occupied. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 29.0% of people here live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 47%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $83,100.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% 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 36,854 in 2000
33,996 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
6,956 / sq mi
−9%since 2009
from 7,622 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K 34K 37K 40K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chester Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $41,342
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,703 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,052 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.478 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 9.3%
Public administration 4.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$83,100
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,091
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $541 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 47.7% in 2000
60.0% rent
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.66 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 54.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 in 2009
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 2000
White, non-Hispanic 17.9%(6,582)
Hispanic / Latino 5.4%(1,986)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 13.3%(4,475)
Hispanic / Latino 11.1%(3,730)
from 45 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 68.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 60.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 38.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 9.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 67.5%(8,620)
Women 15+
Never married 62.8%(9,078)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 41.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.8% in 2020
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) 11.3%(156)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.6%(188)
Share of the 1,379 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Chester Head to head
Compare Chester to nearby cities CHESTER VS
Claymont
Income $74,712 +81%
Home value $276,600 +233%
Population 8,786 −74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER VS
Carneys Point
Income $77,273 +87%
Home value $193,300 +133%
Population 8,050 −76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER VS
Wilmington
Income $58,671 +42%
Home value $231,400 +178%
Population 73,512 +116%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER VS
Woodbury
Income $77,028 +86%
Home value $222,700 +168%
Population 10,130 −70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Chester, Pennsylvania? Chester, Pennsylvania has about 33,619 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chester, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Chester, Pennsylvania earns about $41,342 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chester, Pennsylvania expensive? In Chester, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $83,100, and the typical rent is about $1,091 a month.
How educated are people in Chester, Pennsylvania? About 14.4% of adults age 25 and over in Chester, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chester, Pennsylvania? About 29.0% of people in Chester, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chester, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Chester, Pennsylvania has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 8,237 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 