Chester is a small town of 80 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $34,375
.
Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is
15% below the national average.
Strengths:
Chester stands out for an affordable cost of living.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Chester is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Chester city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 85.1
Chester's overall cost of living index is 85.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Chester costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
Metric
Chester, AR
National Avg
Median Home Value
N/A
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$660
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
66.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$34,375
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Chester's violent crime rate is 336.7 per 100,000 residents
— 11% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
336.7 /100k
Property Crime
1353.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Chester, AR
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
11.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
55.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Chester sees average highs of 49.3°F in January
and 91.6°F in July,
with 53.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 3.1 inches of snow per year.
Chester's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Chester roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is N/A and median rent is $660/month.
Chester's violent crime rate is 336.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1353.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Chester, AR has a population of 80, a median household income of $34,375, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Chester averages 49.3°F in January and 91.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.4 inches
with about 3.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chester, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 72934.
The population of Chester, Arkansas is 80 with a median age of 41.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chester: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home N/A, median household income $34,375, crime index 79 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Chester side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
