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COUNTY

Chester County

Pennsylvania · 557,116 residents (2025 est.) · 751 sq mi
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Part of the Philadelphia metro area
The short version

With 547,840 people, Chester County is a county in Pennsylvania. This is an unusually credentialed place: 57% of adults have a four-year degree. Households here earn about 63% more than in Pennsylvania as a whole. Few US counties rank higher on income. Households take in $127,208 a year at the median, 55% more than the country as a whole. 75% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $127,208, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
57% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Chester County

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$371,771 → $485,600 (+31%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree34.7% → 57.1% (+22.4 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts

Among the 67 counties in Pennsylvania

  • 1st in household income$127,208
  • 1st in share with a bachelor's degree57.1%
  • 1st in home value$485,600
  • 10th in diversity score51.9
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
547,840
+26%since 2000
from 433,501 in 2000
557,116 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
730 / sq mi
+26%since 2000
from 578 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
40.8
+11%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
751 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
359K411K462K514K565K19902000201020202024Chester County
2024548K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(29,143)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(31,861)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(36,608)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.2%(39,421)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.2%(33,924)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.5%(62,751)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(71,469)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.9%(70,462)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.7%(75,085)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.5%(57,348)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.3%(29,196)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(10,572)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$127,208
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,295 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$64,325
+103%since 2000
from $31,627 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
71.9%
+16.5 ptssince 2009
from 55.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
6.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.447
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.447 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Other services11.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade10.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Public administration9.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$485,600
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $178,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,763
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $754 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
75.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 76.3% in 2000
24.9% rent
Vacancy rate
3.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.60 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.1%
−11.0 ptssince 2009
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.7%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 40.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.8
−3%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
48
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic87.2%(377,925)
Black6.1%(26,395)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(16,126)
Asian1.9%(8,400)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic75.4%(413,154)
Black4.9%(26,727)
Hispanic / Latino8.4%(45,958)
Asian6.7%(36,881)
Other4.6%(25,120)
Diversity Score
52
+48%since 2009
from 35 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
31
−4%since 2020
from 33 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.7%(20,160)
Puerto Rican2%(11,095)
South American0.8%(4,255)
Central American0.4%(2,258)
Dominican0.4%(2,248)
Cuban0.4%(2,109)
Spaniard0.2%(1,348)
Colombian0.2%(1,148)
Ecuadorian0.2%(1,125)
Guatemalan0.2%(874)
Peruvian0.1%(495)
Venezuelan0.1%(484)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(437)
Honduran0.1%(433)
Salvadoran0.1%(359)
Costa Rican0.1%(313)
Chilean0.1%(288)
Nicaraguan0%(174)
Uruguayan0%(161)
Panamanian0%(105)
Bolivian0%(75)
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.8%(20,982)
Chinese1.4%(7,564)
Vietnamese0.4%(2,013)
Korean0.3%(1,887)
Filipino0.3%(1,398)
Pakistani0.1%(638)
Japanese0.1%(613)
Taiwanese0.1%(345)
Sri Lankan0%(204)
Cambodian0%(173)
Thai0%(122)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Kazakh0%(111)
Nepalese0%(82)
Mongolian0%(31)
Laotian0%(24)
Uzbek0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(70)
Chamorro0%(53)
Ancestry
Irish20.8%(114,109)
German18.8%(103,020)
Italian14.2%(77,640)
English12.8%(70,230)
Polish4.4%(24,010)
American3.2%(17,664)
Scottish2%(11,057)
French1.5%(8,334)
Welsh1.1%(6,118)
Russian1%(5,700)
Scotch-Irish1%(5,661)
Dutch0.9%(5,020)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian0.9%(4,825)
Swedish0.7%(4,005)
Swiss0.7%(3,642)
Hungarian0.6%(3,554)
Greek0.6%(3,299)
Norwegian0.6%(3,210)
Slovak0.6%(3,075)
Arab0.5%(2,988)
Lithuanian0.5%(2,715)
British0.5%(2,667)
Czech0.3%(1,902)
French Canadian0.3%(1,855)
Austrian0.3%(1,600)
West Indian0.3%(1,596)
Canadian0.3%(1,485)
Portuguese0.3%(1,457)
Danish0.2%(1,053)
Jamaican0.2%(1,012)
Armenian0.2%(908)
Nigerian0.1%(818)
Croatian0.1%(743)
Iranian0.1%(698)
Lebanese0.1%(695)
Romanian0.1%(578)
Brazilian0.1%(555)
Egyptian0.1%(516)
Latvian0.1%(483)
Finnish0.1%(464)
Syrian0.1%(450)
Turkish0.1%(448)
Moroccan0.1%(435)
Belgian0.1%(388)
Slovene0.1%(320)
Australian0.1%(311)
Ghanaian0.1%(276)
Serbian0%(253)
Ethiopian0%(221)
Haitian0%(213)
Bulgarian0%(148)
Jordanian0%(144)
Kenyan0%(141)
Israeli0%(138)
Iraqi0%(109)
Somali0%(108)
Barbadian0%(28)
Guyanese0%(21)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
57.1%
+14.7 ptssince 2000
from 42.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.9%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 89.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
24.3%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.9 min
+38%since 2000
from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
64.6%
−16.5 ptssince 2009
from 81.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
24.1%
+18.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
67.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 69.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 76.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
56.9%
+10.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
10.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.8%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2012
from 7.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.4%
−3.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.7%
+8.5 ptssince 2017
from 86.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.0%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
86.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2016
from 88.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 5.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.4%(71,905)
Married58.9%(130,692)
Widowed2.1%(4,662)
Divorced6.6%(14,685)
Women 15+
Never married28.9%(66,031)
Married54.8%(125,170)
Widowed7.3%(16,679)
Divorced8.9%(20,404)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.4%
−3.7 ptssince 2013
from 8.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
68.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 68.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
10.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 10.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
81.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 81.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 26.0% 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)18.6%(3,834)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.4%(3,180)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.1%(8,272)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.3%(1,304)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(273)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 20,620 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
Over time

Chester County, decade by decade

Chester County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990376,396$109,544$371,77134.7%22.3
2000433,501$118,945$325,89442.5%29.3
2010498,886$121,906$480,91447.8%39.6
2020534,413$126,247$447,84854.2%51.2
2024547,840$127,208$485,60057.1%51.9

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Chester County

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Pop 603,380
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Pop 640,482
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Pop 651,035
Morris County
Pop 524,251
Places similar to Chester County
Head to head

Compare Chester County to nearby counties

CHESTER COUNTY VS
Delaware County
Income$89,546−30%
Home value$332,200−32%
Population580,937+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income$113,915−10%
Home value$436,700−10%
Population877,643+58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER COUNTY VS
Lancaster County
Income$86,959−32%
Home value$301,100−38%
Population563,159+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESTER COUNTY VS
New Castle County
Income$91,166−28%
Home value$352,200−27%
Population588,026+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chester County, Pennsylvania?

Chester County, Pennsylvania has about 547,840 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chester County, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Chester County, Pennsylvania earns about $127,208 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chester County, Pennsylvania expensive?

In Chester County, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $485,600, and the typical rent is about $1,763 a month.

How educated are people in Chester County, Pennsylvania?

About 57.1% of adults age 25 and over in Chester County, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chester County, Pennsylvania?

About 6.0% of people in Chester County, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chester County, Pennsylvania grown since 1990?

Yes, Chester County, Pennsylvania has grown since 1990. The population has added about 171,444 residents, a change of about 46 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 →