What are the schools like in Chester, IA?

School district data for Chester is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Chester?

The median household income in Chester, IA is $52,083 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.9%.

What is the weather like in Chester, IA?

Chester has an average high temperature of 24.2°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 36.4 inches and annual snowfall averages 40.3 inches.

Chester, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: What is the crime rate in Chester, IA?

Chester has a violent crime rate of 109.2 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 349.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Chester, IA a Good Place to Live?

Chester is a small town of 153 in Iowa, with a median household income of $52,083 and a 2.9% unemployment rate.

Strengths: Chester stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. 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

Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Chester metro area.

Metric	Chester, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$100,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	N/A	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	93.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$52,083	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Chester's violent crime rate is 109.2 per 100,000 residents — 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

109.2 /100k

Property Crime

349.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Chester, IA	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	8.1%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	90.9%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chester sees average highs of 24.2°F in January and 82.8°F in July, with 36.4 inches of annual precipitation and 40.3 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Chester, IA
Average High — January	24.2°F
Average High — July	82.8°F
Annual Precipitation	36.4"
Annual Snowfall	40.3"

Demographics

Metric	Chester, IA	National Avg
Population	153	—
Median Age	38.5	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.9%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	35.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	99.3%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	26.1%	22.2%
65 and over	20.3%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lime Springs, IA 5 mi Le Roy, MN 7 mi Ostrander, MN 9 mi McIntire, IA 12 mi Riceville, IA 13 mi

ZIP Codes in Chester

Chester, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

52134

Chester vs Other Cities

Chester, IA vs Lime Springs, IA Chester, IA vs Le Roy, MN Chester, IA vs Ostrander, MN Chester, IA vs McIntire, IA Chester, IA vs Riceville, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chester, IA affordable or expensive?

Chester has a median home value of $100,000 and median rent of N/A/month against a median household income of $52,083.

What is the crime rate in Chester, IA?

Chester's violent crime rate is 109.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 349.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Chester?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Chester, IA a good place to live?

Chester, IA has a population of 153, a median household income of $52,083, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Chester?

Chester averages 24.2°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.4 inches with about 40.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Chester?

Chester, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52134.

What is the population of Chester?

The population of Chester, Iowa is 153 with a median age of 38.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Chester?

Key numbers for living in Chester: median home $100,000, median household income $52,083, crime index 24 (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.