Median Income
$102,105
household / year
Median Home Value
$267,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,559
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Chester, NY a Good Place to Live?

Chester is a small town of 4,064 in New York, with a median household income of $102,105 and a 2.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Chester stands out for solid school ratings (A-).

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

Index: 103.5

Chester's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chester costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Chester, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $267,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,559 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 54.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $102,105 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Chester's violent crime rate is 105.5 per 100,000 residents — 72% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
105.5 /100k
Property Crime
269.4 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Chester is served primarily by CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Chester, NY National Avg
School District CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chester sees average highs of 34.6°F in January and 83.6°F in July, with 48.1 inches of annual precipitation and 44.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricChester, NY
Average High — January34.6°F
Average High — July83.6°F
Annual Precipitation48.1"
Annual Snowfall44.2"

Demographics

MetricChester, NYNational Avg
Population4,064—
Median Age40.038.9
Unemployment Rate2.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time39.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)62.5%59.3%
Black or African American8.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.5%18.9%
Asian10.1%6.3%
Under 1817.7%22.2%
65 and over13.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Walton Park, NY 4 mi Goshen, NY 4 mi Florida, NY 4 mi Monroe, NY 5 mi Kiryas Joel, NY 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Chester

Chester, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code:

10918

Chester vs Other Cities

Chester, NY vs Walton Park, NY Chester, NY vs Goshen, NY Chester, NY vs Florida, NY Chester, NY vs Monroe, NY Chester, NY vs Kiryas Joel, NY

Frequently Asked Questions

Chester's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Chester roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $267,900 and median rent is $1,559/month.
Chester's violent crime rate is 105.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 269.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Chester are operated by CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.0:1. 31.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Chester, NY has a population of 4,064, a median household income of $102,105, and an unemployment rate of 2.2%. 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 34.6°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.1 inches with about 44.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chester, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 10918.
The population of Chester, New York is 4,064 with a median age of 40.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chester: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $267,900, median household income $102,105, crime index 22 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. 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.