Town · Vermont
Chester, Vermont
Chester, town, in Windsor County, Vermont. Chester had 2,955 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,005 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,992 (±30). GEOID 5002713675.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,955
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,005 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,992 ±30
Median household income
$62,125
±$7,868 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$232,900
±$44,388 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$960
±$44 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Chester and what county is it in?
Chester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont. It covers 55.7 square miles of land, 54 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Chester: Chester (CDP, 1,132 in 2020).
Chester is in the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Chester is the same area as Census Tract 9665.01 of Windsor 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 2,955 people lived in Chester on July 1, 2025, down 0.9% since 2020, while Vermont grew 0.2%. The 2020 Census counted 3,005 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,992 (±30).
| Measure | Chester | Windsor County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,992±30 | 57,990 | −55 |
| Households | 1,304±140 | 25,293 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.29±0.25 | 2.26 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,889±147 | 34,846 | no clear change |
Chester's population since 2000
From 3,044 in 2000 to 2,955 in 2025: down 2.9%. 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 49.7 years old; 14.1% are under 18 and 29.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.5%.
| Measure | Chester | Windsor County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 | 47.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.1%±4.0 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.8%±7.2 pts | 25.5% | – |
| Male | 48.6%±5.7 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1%±2.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.4%±3.0 pts | 92.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5%±2.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8%±2.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8%±0.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.7%±6.8 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 17.9%±5.8 pts | 15.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5%±3.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.1%±3.1 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 33.1%±8.7 pts | 42.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.3%±5.3 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7%±4.9 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.8%±3.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
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 1,304 households earn less than $62,125 a year (±$7,868), against $77,594 in Windsor County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 it was $70,457 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Chester | Windsor County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,125±$7,868 | $77,594 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $89,451±$18,289 | $109,025 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,892±$6,736 | $48,626 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.0%±5.4 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0%±5.7 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.0%±6.7 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.5%±6.4 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4%±12.5 pts | 90.1% | – |
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 86.7% of Chester's occupied homes and renters 13.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $232,900 by its owner (±$44,388). The median renter pays $960 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Chester | Windsor County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $232,900±$44,388 | $296,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $960±$44 | $1,118 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 11.5%±12.7 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,481±$223 | $1,850 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.7%±6.7 pts | 74.8% | +10.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.3%±6.7 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Housing units | 1,889±147 | 34,846 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±2.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 16.7%±24.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.9%±7.3 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.3%±5.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.0%±3.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.7%±2.5 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.5%±7.4 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.3%±5.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 9 new housing units in Chester in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 3.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Vermont.
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?
67.4% of Chester's workers drive alone and 14.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.7 minutes.
| Measure | Chester | Windsor County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.1%±7.4 pts | 61.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8%±2.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 67.4%±9.2 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.9%±6.2 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 1.8%±1.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.0%±7.0 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.7 min±4.3 | 22.9 min | +6.9 min |
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 9665.01Windsor County | 2,992 | $62,125 |
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 Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chester is the 3,611th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 47th-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Chester ranks 164th of 198 places in Vermont with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 47th | 237 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 102nd | 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 126th | 202 |
| Median household income | 164th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 128th | 202 |
| Median home value | 147th | 201 |
| Median gross rent | 146th | 187 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 137th | 200 |
| Median age | 55th | 202 |
| Owner-occupied share | 52nd | 201 |
| Work from home | 108th | 185 |
| Travel time to work | 58th | 202 |
Chester's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, 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?
23 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' school search.