Chester County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 8% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
- top 3% for broadband access
- top 8% for airport distance
- bottom 2% for monthly owner costs
Chester County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 536,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and comfortable days. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
Official websitechesco.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
64%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in3.7 in
humid 77%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$119k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$63kbetter than 4% of US counties
Home Value$435k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 3% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.40%better than 18% of US counties
Income Tax4.03%better than 75% of US counties
State 3.10% + Local 0.43%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.28%better than 22% of US counties
Unemployment4.0%better than 66% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.5 in71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall27.9 inbetter than 30% of US counties
Sunny Days184 daysbetter than 7% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 51% of US counties
Comfortable Days98 daysbetter than 90% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk91.9better than 8% of US counties
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 35% of US counties
School Quality87.7better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime217/100kbetter than 87% of US counties
Property Crime399/100kbetter than 79% of US counties
Community
Population536,47496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.743rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3459th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9938th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+179th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)77.4%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.2%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.6%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.2%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 27% of US counties
Walkability8.7/20better than 89% of US counties
Airport Distance28 mibetter than 92% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.1%better than 97% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.18better than 48% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 81% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chester County an affordable place to live?
- Chester County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $63k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Chester County?
- The median home value in Chester County is $435k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Chester County?
- Median household income in Chester County is $119k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Chester County?
- Median gross rent in Chester County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Chester County safe?
- Chester County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 217/100k (better than 87%). Property crime is 399/100k.
- What is the weather like in Chester County?
- Chester County averages 75°F in July and 31°F in January, with 49.5 in of annual precipitation and about 184 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Chester County?
- Public-school quality in Chester County is above average, scoring better than 87% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Chester County?
- The average one-way commute in Chester County is 28 min.
Other counties in Pennsylvania
Explore Pennsylvania
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)