Population 12,675 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chester
Household size in Chester
| Period | Chester | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.87 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.91 | 2.92 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.94 | 2.88 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.85 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Chester average 2.79 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.63, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the south.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.5 | 38.8 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 40.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 41.4, the median age in Chester is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 42.2, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the south.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 10.8% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 9.9% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 9.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.5% of households in Chester, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 29.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.5% | 30.5% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 32.3% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 31.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +2.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Chester is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 35.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 11.2% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 8.0% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Chester is close to the national rate: 9.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Poughkeepsie area as a whole (8.0%). Vacancy has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1968 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1970 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1971 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1974 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Chester was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,290 | $1,135 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,404 | $1,260 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,537 | $1,393 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,863 | $1,742 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$572 | +$607 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Chester runs $1,863 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $572 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3% | 29.4% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.2% | 30.3% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 32.1% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.6% | 35.1% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +5.7 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Chester (39.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the west.
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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.5% | 86.8% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.2% | 87.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 89.6% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 90.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Chester: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 12 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 | Poughkeepsie area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 6.5% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.6% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.3% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Chester than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 | 2.79 | 41.4 | 7.5% | 20.7% | 9.7% | 1977 | $1,863 | 39.6% | 98.0% | 4.1% |
| Greycourt | 2.38 | 46.4 | 8.0% | 19.0% | 6.4% | 1973 | $1,892 | 34.7% | 100.0% | 1.2% |
| Sugar Loaf | 2.85 | 41.1 | 14.6% | 10.1% | 9.6% | 1988 | $1,879 | 40.7% | 98.1% | 4.6% |
| Monroe | 3.25 | 37.1 | 11.9% | 14.6% | 8.4% | 1977 | $2,271 | 41.2% | 90.3% | 5.0% |
| South Blooming Grove | 3.85 | 22.6 | 5.7% | 34.3% | 16.4% | 1969 | $2,509 | 22.8% | 91.9% | 13.4% |
| Goshen | 2.72 | 44.1 | 6.0% | 21.3% | 8.7% | 1974 | $1,722 | 43.7% | 90.4% | 6.0% |
| Florida | 2.80 | 44.0 | 9.4% | 17.2% | 6.2% | 1978 | $1,845 | 33.7% | 94.1% | 4.3% |
| Kiryas Joel | 5.15 | 16.0 | 4.0% | 65.8% | 8.8% | 2006 | $1,571 | 8.0% | 74.9% | 2.2% |
| Wisner | 2.72 | 44.9 | 3.1% | 11.9% | 8.4% | 1980 | $2,317 | 40.8% | 97.1% | 5.4% |
| Blooming Grove | 3.80 | 28.5 | 11.3% | 9.6% | 2.0% | 1981 | $2,343 | 28.0% | 90.2% | 6.3% |
| Arden | 2.79 | 48.0 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 4.0% | 1999 | $2,130 | 57.7% | 97.5% | 25.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Marshfield, MO · Parker, SC · Paris, KY · Mission Hills, CA · Millbury, MA · Mercerville, NJ · Medway, MA · Medfield, MA · McFarland, WI · Mays Chapel, MD
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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