City · Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, city, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Chester had 33,996 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 32,605 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 33,619 (±59). GEOID 4213208.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
33,996
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 32,605 · ACS 2020-2024: 33,619 ±59
Median household income
$41,342
±$4,759 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$83,100
±$7,041 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,091
±$36 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Chester and what county is it in?
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It covers 4.8 square miles of land, 6,746 residents per square mile in 2020.
Chester is in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 33,996 people lived in Chester on July 1, 2025, up 3.9% since 2020, faster than Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 32,605 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 33,619 (±59).
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 33,619 ±59 | 579,222 | −363 |
| Households | 12,537 ±631 | 216,946 | +935 |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.12 | 2.56 | −0.17 |
| Housing units | 14,929 ±527 | 229,715 | +779 |
Chester's population since 2000
From 36,854 in 2000 to 33,996 in 2025: down 7.8%. 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 33.9 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 15.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 70.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 13.3%. 5.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 ±2.0 | 39.1 | +2.6 |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±2.1 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.5% ±1.6 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Male | 48.7% ±2.0 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.1% ±2.6 pts | 5.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 13.3% ±1.9 pts | 62.4% | −3.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 70.5% ±3.2 pts | 21.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.1% ±1.8 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.8% ±2.4 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.4% ±1.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 15.0% ±1.8 pts | 12.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7% ±1.5 pts | 4.6% | −1.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.3% ±2.8 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.4% ±2.2 pts | 41.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.0% ±1.1 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.9% ±2.0 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
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 12,537 households earn less than $41,342 a year (±$4,759), against $89,546 in Delaware County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $39,878 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 29.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,342 ±$4,759 | $89,546 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $56,269 ±$4,311 | $128,465 | – |
| Per capita income | $23,100 ±$1,689 | $49,673 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 29.0% ±4.0 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 45.6% ±8.7 pts | 13.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 42.3% ±4.1 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.9% ±1.8 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.6% ±2.4 pts | 93.3% | – |
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 40.0% of Chester's occupied homes and renters 60.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $83,100 by its owner (±$7,041). The median renter pays $1,091 a month including utilities, and 51.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $83,100 ±$7,041 | $332,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,091 ±$36 | $1,372 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.1% ±6.1 pts | 45.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,157 ±$57 | $2,222 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 40.0% ±3.8 pts | 69.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 60.0% ±3.8 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Housing units | 14,929 ±527 | 229,715 | +779 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.4% ±2.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 7.3% ±1.7 pts | 43.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.4% ±0.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.8% ±3.2 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 29.2% ±3.7 pts | 9.6% | – |
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 9 new housing units in Chester in 2025 (7 in single-family houses), 0.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
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?
58.1% of Chester's workers drive alone and 9.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 17.6%.
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.1% ±2.8 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 17.6% ±2.7 pts | 6.9% | +5.5 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 58.1% ±4.4 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.1% ±2.7 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 9.7% ±2.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Walked | 8.7% ±2.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.5% ±2.5 pts | 18.0% | +6.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.9 min ±1.7 | 28.1 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?
12 census tracts lie mostly in Chester (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $27,788 (Tract 4107) to $81,354 (Tract 4046).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4107Delaware County | 4,997 | $27,788 |
| Tract 4045Delaware County | 4,372 | $36,438 |
| Tract 4047Delaware County | 4,060 | $30,926 |
| Tract 4052Delaware County | 3,068 | $32,123 |
| Tract 4053Delaware County | 2,753 | $48,333 |
| Tract 4048Delaware County | 2,382 | $48,854 |
| Tract 4051Delaware County | 2,319 | $55,781 |
| Tract 4046Delaware County | 2,281 | $81,354 |
| Tract 4050Delaware County | 2,230 | $36,413 |
| Tract 4054Delaware County | 2,059 | $40,516 |
| Tract 4044Delaware County | 1,844 | $48,438 |
| Tract 4049Delaware County | 1,254 | $61,125 |
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 Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chester is the 1,223rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 15th-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Chester ranks 2,097th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 15th | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 189th | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 59th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 2,097th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 2,111th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 2,101st | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 864th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 34th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,896th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 2,009th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2,118th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,205th | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,548th | 2,156 |
Chester's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, 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?
7 of the 57 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' public schools in Chester.