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CITY · 2020 ACS

Chester

Pennsylvania · 32,605 residents · 4.833 sq mi
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The short version

Chester has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $32,867. Population has declined 12% since 2000. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $70,300. At a median age of 33.2, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 48% less than the Pennsylvania median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 33.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
32,605
−12%since 2000
from 36,854 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.2
+8%since 2000
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K34K37K40K43K1990201020202024Chester
202434K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.7%(2,169)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.2%(2,333)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.6%(2,159)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 198.5%(2,766)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.7%(2,847)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415%(4,892)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.1%(3,631)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.6%(3,451)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.1%(3,949)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.6%(2,797)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.4%(1,114)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.5%(497)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,867
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,703 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,856
+44%since 2000
from $13,052 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
19.0%
+8.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
30.4%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance7.4%
US avg: 5.5%
Retail trade7.3%
US avg: 10%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services5.2%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration4%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade3.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$70,300
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$878
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $541 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
33.2%
−14.5 ptssince 2000
from 47.7% in 2000
66.8% rent
Afford Score
2.1
−17%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Chester on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic17.9%(6,582)
Black74.6%(27,500)
Hispanic / Latino5.4%(1,986)
Asian0.6%(217)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic13.9%(4,527)
Black69.2%(22,560)
Hispanic / Latino12.4%(4,052)
Asian0.7%(227)
Other3.1%(1,016)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican6.9%(2,327)
Mexican0.8%(261)
Cuban0.6%(194)
Ecuadorian0.3%(87)
Dominican0.2%(66)
Guatemalan0.2%(65)
Honduran0.2%(56)
Peruvian0.1%(35)
Spaniard0.1%(23)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(104)
Asian Indian0.2%(68)
Korean0.1%(38)
Filipino0.1%(31)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German3.7%(1,236)
Irish3.5%(1,182)
Italian2.5%(843)
Polish1.7%(563)
West Indian1.6%(550)
English1.5%(524)
American1.5%(522)
Jamaican1.1%(379)
Arab0.3%(118)
Haitian0.3%(117)
Scottish0.3%(100)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian0.2%(74)
Hungarian0.2%(56)
Lithuanian0.2%(51)
French0.1%(49)
Dutch0.1%(41)
Israeli0.1%(40)
Welsh0.1%(33)
Lebanese0.1%(28)
Norwegian0.1%(24)
Guyanese0.1%(21)
Jordanian0.1%(20)
Russian0.1%(20)
Greek0.1%(17)
Armenian0%(13)
Swiss0%(12)
Slovak0%(11)
Swedish0%(8)
Belgian0%(7)
Syrian0%(6)
Czech0%(6)
RANKED:Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
13.5%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
84.4%
+15.7 ptssince 2000
from 68.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
3.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.3 min
+31%since 2000
from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
60.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 60.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
29.9%
−8.1 ptssince 2009
from 38.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
14.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 16.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2011
from 53.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
24.7%
−35.7 ptssince 2009
from 60.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.0%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 46.4% in 2009
Female
51.0%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 53.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
7.9%
−77.4 ptssince 2013
from 85.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married67.5%(8,620)
Married20.1%(2,571)
Widowed2.9%(372)
Divorced9.4%(1,203)
Women 15+
Never married62.8%(9,078)
Married16.4%(2,378)
Widowed9.8%(1,422)
Divorced10.9%(1,581)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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CHESTER VS
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CHESTER VS
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CHESTER VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Chester, Pennsylvania?

Chester, Pennsylvania has about 32,605 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chester, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Chester, Pennsylvania earns about $32,867 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 $70,300, and the typical rent is about $878 a month.

How educated are people in Chester, Pennsylvania?

About 13.5% 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 30.4% 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 9,251 residents, a change of about -22 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →