Chester, Pennsylvania
Among the top 2% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 20% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 20% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 55% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 35% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 2% for airport distance
- bottom 5% for air quality
Chester is a mid-size city in Pennsylvania with about 33,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on unemployment and air quality.
Official websitechestercity.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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warm
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cool
cold
58%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in2.9 in
humid 72%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$39k11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 23% of US places
Home Value$81k13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$996better than 41% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 69% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.02%better than 9% of US places
Income Tax5.10%better than 43% of US places
State 3.10% + Local 2.00%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 77% of US places
Estimated total tax burden11.35%better than 33% of US places
Unemployment15.9%better than 6% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)33°F54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.6 in49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall23.1 inbetter than 43% of US places
Sunny Days183 daysbetter than 11% of US places
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 42% of US places
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 63% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk50.9better than 70% of US places
Air Quality55 AQIbetter than 5% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime664/100kbetter than 54% of US places
Property Crime1149/100kbetter than 42% of US places
Community
Population33,04896th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.715th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4073rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9439th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2710th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)13.2%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)75.2%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.3%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.7%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 77% of US places
Walkability14.8/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance7 mibetter than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.1%better than 46% of US places
Amenities Nearby79.28better than 50% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chester an affordable place to live?
- Chester is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 23% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Chester?
- The median home value in Chester is $81k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Chester?
- Median household income in Chester is $39k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Chester?
- Median gross rent in Chester is $996 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Chester safe?
- Chester is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 664/100k (better than 54%). Property crime is 1149/100k.
- What is the weather like in Chester?
- Chester averages 77°F in July and 33°F in January, with 41.6 in of annual precipitation and about 183 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Chester?
- Public-school quality in Chester is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Chester?
- The average one-way commute in Chester is 22 min.
Other places in Delaware County
Places near Chester
Compare Chester
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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)