United States › Pennsylvania › Chester CITY · 2020 ACS
Chester Pennsylvania · 32,605 residents · 4.83 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chester is a city of 32,605 people in Pennsylvania. 33% of homes are owner-occupied. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. 30.4% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 48% less than in Pennsylvania as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $70,300.
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 from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K 34K 37K 40K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chester Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $32,867
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,703 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $13,052 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 6.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$70,300
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$878
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $541 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 47.7% in 2000
66.8% rent
from 2.66 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 17.9%(6,582)
Hispanic / Latino 5.4%(1,986)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 13.9%(4,527)
Hispanic / Latino 12.4%(4,052)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 68.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 60.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 38.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 53.2% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 14.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.5%(257)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.1%(213)
Share of the 1,321 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
Claymont
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Home value $276,600 +293%
Population 8,786 −74%
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CHESTER VS
Carneys Point
Income $77,273 +135%
Home value $193,300 +175%
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CHESTER VS
Wilmington
Income $58,671 +79%
Home value $231,400 +229%
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CHESTER VS
Woodbury
Income $77,028 +134%
Home value $222,700 +217%
Population 10,130 −70%
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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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