What it's like to live in Chester
Chester is a small city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Chester deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
How Chester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Chester
Based on Chester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,182
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,640 a year
- 63% of Chester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$16,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $8,310
- Homes cost 2.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,091/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,091 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $83,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $83,100 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 56% above US
6.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.7%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 50% above US
494 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1794/100k · Chester Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% take public transit; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 60% below US
14% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is First State National Historical Park (10 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Chester's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,091/mo) equals 32% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Chester
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