Town · New Hampshire
Chester, New Hampshire
Chester, town, in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Chester had 5,322 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,232 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,300 (±29). GEOID 3301512100.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,322
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,232 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,300 ±29
Median household income
$142,212
±$18,777 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$552,300
±$42,249 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
not published
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Chester and what county is it in?
Chester is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. It covers 26.0 square miles of land, 201 residents per square mile in 2020.
Chester is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Chester is the same area as Census Tract 510 of Rockingham County: the tract's figures are Chester's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chester, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,322 people lived in Chester on July 1, 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, slower than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 5,232 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,300 (±29).
| Measure | Chester | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,300±29 | 319,082 | +171 |
| Households | 1,850±126 | 127,570 | +163 |
| Average household size | 2.86±0.20 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,850±126 | 137,794 | no clear change |
Chester's population since 2000
From 3,792 in 2000 to 5,322 in 2025: up 40.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chester as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chester?
The median resident of Chester is 47.2 years old; 19.6% are under 18 and 17.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.5%. 3.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Chester | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 | 45.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.6%±2.5 pts | 18.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.4%±3.7 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 52.7%±2.1 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.4%±1.5 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.6%±2.9 pts | 89.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.4%±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.5%±1.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.4%±2.0 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.3%±2.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.5%±3.4 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 8.2%±2.6 pts | 11.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.7%±1.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.1%±1.4 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.1%±6.1 pts | 45.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.4%±3.6 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6%±3.2 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9%±1.0 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chester earn?
Half of Chester's 1,850 households earn less than $142,212 a year (±$18,777), against $118,331 in Rockingham County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $171,913 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chester | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $142,212±$18,777 | $118,331 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $162,330±$13,100 | $149,721 | – |
| Per capita income | $58,505±$5,445 | $61,558 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.0%±2.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.5%±6.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.4%±1.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.1%±1.6 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7%±5.3 pts | 95.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chester?
Owners occupy 97.7% of Chester's occupied homes and renters 2.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $552,300 by its owner (±$42,249).
| Measure | Chester | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $552,300±$42,249 | $497,500 | +$118,603 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 19.0%±45.8 pts | 39.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,745±$155 | $2,669 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 97.7%±2.7 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 2.3%±2.7 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,850±126 | 137,794 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±47.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.3%±5.3 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9%±1.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9%±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.4%±4.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.0%±5.9 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1%±1.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Chester building?
Builders took permits for 23 new housing units in Chester in 2025 (23 in single-family houses), 4.3 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Chester work and get to work?
80.2% of Chester's workers drive alone and 16.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.1 minutes.
| Measure | Chester | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.3%±5.4 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9%±2.3 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.2%±5.2 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.5%±1.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.4%±5.4 pts | 19.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.1 min±4.8 | 28.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chester?
1 census tract lies mostly in Chester (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 510Rockingham County | 5,300 | $142,212 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chester) · Census block assignment files
How does Chester compare with other places in New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chester is the 2,191st-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 58th-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Chester ranks 23rd of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 58th | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 118th | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 116th | 241 |
| Median household income | 23rd | 235 |
| Per capita income | 62nd | 240 |
| Median home value | 24th | 239 |
| Poverty rate | 137th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 93rd | 239 |
| Median age | 100th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 5th | 241 |
| Work from home | 96th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 25th | 241 |
Chester's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, sortable · Compare Chester with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chester?
20 of the 56 figures for Chester on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chester are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.