Population 377,869 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chesterfield County
Household size in Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.58 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.63 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.63 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Chesterfield County average 2.73 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Richmond area as a whole, where it has 2.54 people. Chesterfield County has larger households than the great majority of Virginia counties.
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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8 | 38.2 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +1.4 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.9, the median age in Chesterfield County 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 climbed from 37.8, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the east 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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 12.4% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.3% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 12.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Chesterfield County as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the wider Richmond area (12.5%).
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 Chesterfield County
Renters in Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 31.5% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.4% | 33.8% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 34.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 33.0% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.3% of households in Chesterfield County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 28.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.6 points, 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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 8.1% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Chesterfield County: 6.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Chesterfield County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Virginia counties.
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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1984 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Chesterfield County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east 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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,128 | $1,006 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,215 | $1,097 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,429 | $1,248 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,842 | $1,608 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$714 | +$602 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Chesterfield County runs $1,842 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $714 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the east.
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 Chesterfield County
Bachelor's degrees in Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 33.0% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.1% | 34.4% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.8% | 38.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.0% | 41.0% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Chesterfield County (44.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.5% | 86.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 88.1% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.1% | 90.0% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 92.3% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +5.8 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Chesterfield County is above the national rate: 92.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Richmond area. The share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Chesterfield County
| Period | Chesterfield County | Richmond area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.1% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.2% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Chesterfield County than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.9 points, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Chesterfield County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | 2.73 | 39.9 | 11.4% | 23.3% | 6.1% | 1992 | $1,842 | 44.0% | 92.7% | 4.5% |
| Richmond City | 2.20 | 35.6 | 14.7% | 56.5% | 9.6% | 1961 | $1,376 | 45.4% | 89.0% | 6.4% |
| Powhatan County | 2.73 | 45.7 | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 1997 | $1,113 | 35.1% | 92.1% | 3.6% |
| Amelia County | 2.46 | 44.2 | 4.2% | 17.5% | 7.9% | 1992 | $1,152 | 19.3% | 87.7% | 3.7% |
| Charles City County | 2.28 | 52.5 | 7.7% | 13.7% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,157 | 17.5% | 87.9% | 3.9% |
| New Kent County | 2.66 | 42.6 | 7.8% | 7.4% | 5.9% | 1995 | $1,569 | 38.6% | 94.5% | 2.1% |
| Cumberland County | 2.44 | 47.0 | 13.9% | 24.1% | 15.2% | 1985 | $1,030 | 21.6% | 86.0% | 3.1% |
| Buckingham County | 2.37 | 43.3 | 12.9% | 22.7% | 14.5% | 1990 | $1,003 | 15.1% | 85.7% | 4.5% |
| Gloucester County | 2.62 | 45.0 | 7.2% | 19.6% | 11.7% | 1988 | $1,197 | 24.8% | 92.1% | 2.9% |
| Mathews County | 2.14 | 54.0 | 4.5% | 16.0% | 24.2% | 1978 | $999 | 28.6% | 90.7% | 4.6% |
| Appomattox County | 2.50 | 43.8 | 12.3% | 24.2% | 11.2% | 1981 | $942 | 19.6% | 92.4% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Osceola County, FL · Clackamas County, OR · Manatee County, FL · Charleston County, SC · Berks County, PA · Cameron County, TX · Somerset County, NJ · Santa Cruz County, CA · Sarasota County, FL · Jefferson Parish, LA
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 Chesterfield County. 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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