City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Chester, MT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Chester - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

704
Residents
$53,583
Median income
$156,900
Median home
$1,034
Median rent (state)

Chester - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Chester places in the 25th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

25th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
23rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Chester, MT

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 704 residents in Chester, a small town within Montana. Median household income here is $53,583 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.7%. Chester's housing stock carries a median value of $156,900, and the median resident age is 53.3 years. About 27.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 46.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA puts Chester's yearly average temperature at 41.3°F with 12.3 inches of precipitation per year and 36.5 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: the state registers 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,034 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $175 across Montana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 6.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

704 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$53,583 /yr

Poverty 12.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Chester compare to other US cities?

Chester measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 23% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Chester's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Montana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

25thIncome percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Chester's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$156,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Chester $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Chester, MT Chester, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chester, MT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Chester, MT median $53,583/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Chester, MT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Chester, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
704
Median Income
$53,583
Median Home Value
$156,900
Median Age
53.3
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Labor force participation
46.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.0%

Climate

Avg Temperature
41.3°F
Annual Precipitation
12.3"
Annual Snowfall
36.5"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
830 residents840 residents850 residents860 residents 202020212022202320242025 845 residents 844 residents ▼ -0.1%
Chester's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.1%
Carpool
3.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
15.9%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
4.4%

Based on 232 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Montana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$175
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Montana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Montana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Chester sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,034/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
6.3 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Woods Bay
696 people
Wibaux
686 people
Pioneer Junction
734 people
Batavia
740 people
Hungry Horse
663 people
Fairfield
746 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chester's 704 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

McDonald Chapel, AL
704 people
Kiowa, CO
704 people
University Park, IA
704 people
Cullen, LA
704 people
Highland Hills, OH
704 people
Blooming Glen, PA
704 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chester's $53,583 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Bragg, CA
$53,580 median income
Zolfo Springs, FL
$53,587 median income
Live Oak, FL
$53,578 median income
Plainfield, OH
$53,578 median income
Lawton, OK
$53,588 median income
Lake Luzerne, NY
$53,594 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chester, MT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Chester, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 95.6% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Chester compares to nearby Montana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Chester (this city) 704 $53,583
Woods Bay 696 $95,781
Wibaux 686 $64,115
Pioneer Junction 734 $42,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chester, MT?

What is the population of Chester, MT? +

704 people live in Chester, MT according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Chester, MT? +

Median annual household income in Chester runs $53,583, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chester? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chester; the closest available measure is the Montana state average, a cost of living index of 94.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Montana vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Chester, MT? +

Homes in Chester carry a median value of $156,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Chester? +

The average annual temperature in Chester runs 41.3°F, 12.3 inches of precipitation, and 36.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.