Is West Chester, PA a Good Place to Live?
West Chester is a small city of 19,016 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $71,875 and a 7.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: West Chester stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether West Chester is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West 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: 103.5West Chester's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Chester costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | West Chester, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $463,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $71,875 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWest Chester's violent crime rate is 215.0 per 100,000 residents — 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
West Chester is served primarily by 21st Century Cyber CS. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | West Chester, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | 21st Century Cyber CS | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West Chester sees average highs of 39.5°F in January and 86.2°F in July, with 50.9 inches of annual precipitation and 30.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | West Chester, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.5°F |
| Average High — July | 86.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | West Chester, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,016 | — |
| Median Age | 24.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 74.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 14.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 9.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 9.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in West Chester
West Chester, PA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: