United States › Pennsylvania › Chester CITY · 2000 CENSUS
Chester Pennsylvania · 36,854 residents · 4.83 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chester is a city of 36,854 people in Pennsylvania. 48% of homes are owner-occupied. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. 27.2% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Median home value sits at $43,300. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 36%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 30.6
US median: 35.2
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth from 30.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K 34K 37K 40K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chester Age distribution, 2000
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $25,703
−6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $20,864 in 1990
US average: $42,589
from $9,115 in 1990
US average: $21,522
from 25.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
$43,300
−13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $37,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
$541
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $392 in 1990
US average: $602
from 53.5% in 1990
52.3% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 1990
White, non-Hispanic 32%(13,380)
Hispanic / Latino 3.5%(1,482)
2000
White, non-Hispanic 17.9%(6,582)
Hispanic / Latino 5.4%(1,986)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 7.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
from 62.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
from 2.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 48.2%(6,085)
Women 15+
Never married 42.7%(6,314)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Chester Head to head
Compare Chester to nearby cities CHESTER VS
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CHESTER VS
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Wilmington
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Chester, Pennsylvania? Chester, Pennsylvania has about 36,854 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Chester, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Chester, Pennsylvania earns about $25,703 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 $43,300, and the typical rent is about $541 a month.
How educated are people in Chester, Pennsylvania? About 8.5% 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 27.2% 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 5,002 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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