Population 8,978 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chester
Household size in Chester
| Period | Chester | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.04 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.96 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Chester are large by national standards, averaging 2.96 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.8 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.5 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Chester skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 42.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.5% of households in Chester, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Chester has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 9.3% of households in Chester rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 30.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the southeast. The renter share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.4% of homes in Chester are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Chester was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the New York area overall, where the median home dates to 1962.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,121 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,219 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,687 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,991 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$870 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Chester costs $1,991 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $870 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 48.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southwest.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.6% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 69.2% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.6% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Chester: 68.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 8.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.1% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.2% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.5% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Chester: 98.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 17 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Chester than nationally: unemployment was 7.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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 | 2.96 | 44.4 | 4.5% | 9.3% | 4.4% | 1978 | $1,991 | 68.6% | 98.5% | 7.0% |
| Flanders | 2.61 | 44.4 | 5.1% | 34.8% | 1.8% | 1978 | $1,463 | 55.1% | 93.9% | 2.7% |
| Mendham | 2.68 | 48.0 | 7.6% | 10.3% | 5.3% | 1974 | $2,723 | 78.1% | 98.1% | 3.2% |
| Succasunna | 2.97 | 44.8 | 8.8% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 1969 | $2,490 | 50.7% | 96.6% | 4.3% |
| Peapack and Gladstone | 2.53 | 45.1 | 4.1% | 19.1% | 6.4% | 1972 | $1,855 | 71.3% | 97.9% | 3.3% |
| Brookside | 3.33 | 35.0 | 9.0% | 8.1% | 3.6% | 1977 | $3,501 | 79.5% | 100.0% | 4.3% |
| Long Valley | 2.85 | 46.7 | 2.8% | 7.9% | 3.2% | 1977 | $1,671 | 64.2% | 98.7% | 4.1% |
| Pottersville | 2.63 | 52.9 | 3.8% | 11.5% | 3.3% | 1974 | $2,947 | 64.8% | 95.3% | 2.2% |
| Gladstone | 3.04 | 44.3 | 5.9% | 24.4% | 3.4% | 1959 | $2,839 | 60.4% | 94.9% | 4.6% |
| Ledgewood | 2.59 | 44.2 | 4.4% | 18.8% | 3.1% | 1993 | $2,180 | 59.8% | 95.9% | 14.2% |
| Far Hills | 2.71 | 47.7 | 4.9% | 11.9% | 6.1% | 1983 | $2,815 | 72.0% | 98.0% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: La Plata, PR · Knox, IN · Terryville, CT · Kronenwetter, WI · Krum, TX · Terry, MS · Tennessee Colony, TX · Tell City, IN · La Grange, TX · La Joya, TX
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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