Chester, VA vs Manchester, VA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricChester, VAManchester, VA
Population24,47412,445
Median Household Income$95,104$80,296
Median Rent$1,603/mo$1,558/mo
Median Home Value$327,200$317,000
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income45%52.2%
Poverty Rate8.1%12.7%
Unemployment Rate3.2% (county)3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k161*—*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,157*—*
Median AQI3936
Good AQI Days /yr294288
Summer Highs87°F88°F
Winter Lows29°F30°F
Snowfall4 in/yr9 in/yr
Avg Commute27.8 min21.9 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher14.912.6
College Degree Rate33.8%39.7%
Foreign-Born %6.7%9.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.7%+13.1%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices both cities (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.