Median Income
$87,242
household / year
Median Home Value
$274,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,382
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Chester, VA a Good Place to Live?

Chester is a small city of 23,068 in Virginia, with a median household income of $87,242 and a 3.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Chester stands out for solid school ratings (B+).

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: 98.0

Chester's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chester costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Chester, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $274,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,382 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 73.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $87,242 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Chester's violent crime rate is 210.0 per 100,000 residents — 45% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
210.0 /100k
Property Crime
1475.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Chester is served primarily by Chesterfield County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Chester, VA National Avg
School District Chesterfield County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 41 —
Middle Schools 12 —
High Schools 11 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chester sees average highs of 49.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 50.3 inches of annual precipitation and 3.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricChester, VA
Average High — January49.1°F
Average High — July89.3°F
Annual Precipitation50.3"
Annual Snowfall3.5"

Demographics

MetricChester, VANational Avg
Population23,068—
Median Age40.638.9
Unemployment Rate3.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)59.9%59.3%
Black or African American25.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.4%18.9%
Asian2.0%6.3%
Under 1822.1%22.2%
65 and over15.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Bellwood, VA 4 mi Meadowbrook, VA 6 mi Enon, VA 6 mi Colonial Heights, VA 7 mi Bensley, VA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Chester

Chester, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

23831

Chester vs Other Cities

Chester, VA vs Bellwood, VA Chester, VA vs Meadowbrook, VA Chester, VA vs Enon, VA Chester, VA vs Colonial Heights, VA Chester, VA vs Bensley, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Chester's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Chester roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $274,400 and median rent is $1,382/month.
Chester's violent crime rate is 210.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1475.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Chester are operated by Chesterfield County Public Schools. The district has 41 elementary, 12 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1. 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Chester, VA has a population of 23,068, a median household income of $87,242, and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. 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 49.1°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.3 inches with about 3.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chester, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 23831.
The population of Chester, Virginia is 23,068 with a median age of 40.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chester: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $274,400, median household income $87,242, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. 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.