Population 1,304 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chester
Household size in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.56 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.57 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Chester has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. The picture is much the same across the Springfield area. Household size has climbed from 2.35 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.6 | 38.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.0 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.7 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.8 | 40.7 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.8, Chester is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 15.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 16.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 15.8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 15.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Chester: 5.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Chester
Renters in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 37.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 38.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 37.8% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Chester is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly a third of owners (31.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 8.4% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 8.3% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 8.2% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.5% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Chester: 29.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1956 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1956 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1957 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1958 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +2 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Chester is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1953, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $767 | $809 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $897 | $871 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,044 | $995 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,178 | $1,261 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$411 | +$452 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Chester costs $1,178 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 36.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Chester
Bachelor's degrees in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.0% | 23.3% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 24.8% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.7% | 26.7% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.3% | 29.0% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +5.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Chester than nationally: 29.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The Springfield area as a whole looks much the same.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 82.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 83.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 85.2% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 86.7% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Chester: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Chester
| Period | Chester | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 10.2% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 6.2% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −3.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Chester has been low: just 2.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Chester compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | 2.53 | 46.8 | 5.0% | 15.8% | 29.5% | 1953 | $1,178 | 29.3% | 94.9% | 2.0% |
| North Blandford | 2.32 | 51.4 | 7.3% | 4.9% | 34.4% | 1971 | $1,395 | 37.4% | 95.1% | 3.1% |
| Middlefield | 2.13 | 60.1 | 2.9% | 6.2% | 21.9% | 1959 | $925 | 43.0% | 97.1% | 3.3% |
| Huntington | 2.69 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 15.3% | 11.4% | 1954 | $1,327 | 33.3% | 94.7% | 2.4% |
| Becket | 2.20 | 50.7 | 9.3% | 2.7% | 44.8% | 1974 | $2,078 | 43.5% | 96.5% | 3.0% |
| Goss Heights | 2.56 | 48.1 | 4.3% | 6.3% | 17.3% | 1966 | $1,336 | 25.2% | 91.2% | 5.0% |
| North Otis | 2.23 | 49.5 | 7.0% | 2.3% | 50.0% | 1977 | $1,862 | 44.8% | 97.4% | 4.7% |
| Blandford | 2.22 | 52.3 | 5.2% | 4.4% | 31.9% | 1975 | $1,091 | 35.9% | 96.2% | 2.6% |
| Worthington | 2.13 | 60.0 | 3.0% | 6.2% | 21.9% | 1959 | $928 | 42.8% | 97.1% | 3.3% |
| East Otis | 2.21 | 51.7 | 3.6% | 14.3% | 63.0% | 1972 | $1,302 | 37.9% | 93.8% | 3.5% |
| West Chesterfield | 2.53 | 45.9 | 12.3% | 7.6% | 15.9% | 1974 | $1,063 | 35.2% | 97.3% | 2.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kensington, OH · Snow Lake Shores, MS · Saranac, NY · Sadler, TX · Rockingham, GA · Milton, TN · Milesburg, PA · Midway, WV · Midway, AR · Marysville, IN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Chester. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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