Population 106,331 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Chester
Household size in West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.68 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.65 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in West Chester run a little small, averaging 2.50 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.58 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated 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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 38.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 39.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 40.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.4 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
West Chester skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.6, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northeast.
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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 12.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 11.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 12.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Chester: 4.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 41 have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 West Chester
Renters in West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.9% | 30.2% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 32.1% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 32.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.1% | 33.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in West Chester rent their homes (30.1%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 34.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 6.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in West Chester: just 4.4% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. West Chester has a lower vacancy rate than most Pennsylvania cities.
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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1965 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1968 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in West Chester was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in the wider Philadelphia area, where the median home dates to 1968. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, 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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,282 | $1,049 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,379 | $1,147 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,523 | $1,281 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,982 | $1,631 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$701 | +$582 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Chester costs $1,982 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $701 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the center.
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 West Chester
Bachelor's degrees in West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.0% | 32.7% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.5% | 34.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.8% | 37.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.2% | 42.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Chester: 66.2% 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 11.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 32 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.2% | 87.5% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 88.9% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.6% | 90.5% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 91.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Chester is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 West Chester
| Period | West Chester | Philadelphia area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in West Chester than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.8 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).
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Chester | 2.50 | 41.8 | 4.8% | 30.1% | 4.4% | 1980 | $1,982 | 66.2% | 94.2% | 4.0% |
| Westtown | 2.95 | 47.8 | 4.8% | 9.1% | 1.6% | 1979 | $2,548 | 65.2% | 99.5% | 5.8% |
| Cheyney | 2.66 | 44.5 | 9.5% | 23.3% | 3.3% | 1992 | $2,341 | 61.6% | 98.1% | 3.1% |
| Immaculata | 2.66 | 32.5 | 11.5% | 53.5% | 4.0% | 1977 | $1,821 | 78.4% | 93.9% | 7.8% |
| Thornton | 3.05 | 43.2 | 2.7% | 0.6% | 6.6% | 1991 | $1,636 | 57.2% | 93.5% | 4.3% |
| Exton | 2.58 | 41.0 | 6.0% | 44.2% | 6.1% | 1989 | $2,267 | 65.1% | 98.2% | 3.0% |
| Pocopson | 2.79 | 47.9 | 6.3% | 18.1% | 6.6% | 1983 | $2,490 | 82.6% | 99.2% | 0.6% |
| Malvern | 2.61 | 43.0 | 6.2% | 24.9% | 5.8% | 1989 | $2,450 | 77.3% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Glen Mills | 2.75 | 47.5 | 6.1% | 25.6% | 6.0% | 1991 | $2,192 | 63.0% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
| Lionville | 2.59 | 36.2 | 7.5% | 45.3% | 3.5% | 1977 | $1,997 | 59.6% | 98.6% | 4.6% |
| Chadds Ford | 2.75 | 46.4 | 2.9% | 13.8% | 7.0% | 1988 | $2,445 | 71.0% | 98.0% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tumalo, OR · Towanda, IL · Troy, MI · Tracy, CA · Tri-Lakes, IN · Turlock, CA · Tunbridge, VT · Tyler, TX · Tylersburg, PA · Toston, MT
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 West 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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