City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

West Chester, PA

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

19,235
Residents
$81,492
Median income
$481,300
Median home
$1,810
Median rent (state)

West Chester - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, West Chester places in the 63rd percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

63rd
percentile, household income
84th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
47th
percentile, safety
📝 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: West Chester, PA

19,235 people live in West Chester, Pennsylvania - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in West Chester brings in $81,492 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.7%. West Chester's housing stock carries a median value of $481,300, and the median resident age is 24.8 years. 60.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 96% from five years earlier. West Chester reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1464.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Pennsylvania at 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,810 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 18.6 minutes, with 63.6% driving alone and 14.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 91.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

19,235 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$81,492 /yr

Poverty 9.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does West Chester compare to other US cities?

Here's how West Chester stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 84% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Pennsylvania alone, West Chester ranks #302 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 West 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 Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

63rdIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income · 47th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

West Chester's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

West Chester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 44 Avg. percentile National median
West Chester's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How West Chester's home value compares nationally

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

$481,300 16th percentile more affordable than 16% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. West 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 - West Chester, PA West Chester, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not West Chester, PA-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 West Chester, PA median $81,492/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%
West Chester, PA'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 West Chester, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.4%

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

Population
19,235
Median Income
$81,492
Median Home Value
$481,300
Median Age
24.8
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Labor force participation
63.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1464.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
215.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1249.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
20
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents20,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,667 residents 19,591 residents ▲ +4.9%
West Chester's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 46
2020 54
2021 0
2022 4
2023 4
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 96% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.6 minutes
Drive Alone
63.6%
Carpool
5.7%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
13.4%
Work from Home
14.9%
Other
0.9%

Based on 10,796 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county West Chester sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,810/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

West Mifflin
19,338 people
Phoenixville
19,062 people
Lansdale
18,865 people
Johnstown
18,245 people
Colonial Park
18,125 people
Murrysville
20,839 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to West Chester's 19,235 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brookfield, IL
19,235 people
Republic, MO
19,233 people
Hermosa Beach, CA
19,248 people
Holtsville, NY
19,250 people
Lumberton, NC
19,220 people
Tinton Falls, NJ
19,252 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to West Chester's $81,492 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Nanakuli, HI
$81,493 median income
Heritage Lake, IN
$81,495 median income
Monroe, IA
$81,488 median income
North Beach, MD
$81,500 median income
New Era, MI
$81,500 median income
Centerville, OH
$81,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - West Chester, PA 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 West Chester, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.0% 13.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.9% White 74.0% Black or African American 13.9% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.1% Two or more races 5.8% 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 West Chester compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
West Chester (this city) 19,235 $81,492
West Mifflin 19,338 $70,335
Phoenixville 19,062 $94,411
Lansdale 18,865 $86,460
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about West Chester, PA?

What is the population of West Chester, PA? +

West Chester, PA counts 19,235 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in West Chester, PA? +

The median household income in West Chester is $81,492 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in West Chester? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for West Chester; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is West Chester, PA safe? +

West Chester has a total crime rate of 1464.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in West Chester, PA? +

West Chester's median home value sits at $481,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.