United States › South Carolina › Chester CITY
Chester South Carolina · 5,324 residents (2025 est.) · 3.31 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chester is a city of 5,218 people in South Carolina. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $123,000. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. That trails the South Carolina median by roughly 33%. Median household income is $46,138, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.8
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 6,476 in 2000
5,324 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,578 / sq mi
−13%since 2009
from 1,824 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 6K 6K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chester Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,138
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,518 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,386 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.502 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 13.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Public administration 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Education & health services 0%
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$123,000
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$902
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $400 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 60.4% in 2000
40.9% rent
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.25 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 34.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 65.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 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 36.1%(2,338)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(54)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 31.6%(1,649)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(127)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 22.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 68.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 45.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.3% 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) 20.5%(72)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.6%(48)
Share of the 352 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Chester, South Carolina? Chester, South Carolina has about 5,218 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chester, South Carolina? The typical household in Chester, South Carolina earns about $46,138 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chester, South Carolina expensive? In Chester, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $123,000, and the typical rent is about $902 a month.
How educated are people in Chester, South Carolina? About 14.0% of adults age 25 and over in Chester, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chester, South Carolina? About 19.4% of people in Chester, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chester, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Chester, South Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,822 residents, a change of about -26 percent over that period.
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