Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 212, settled in 1880.
0.8% of working residents work locally in Chester, below both Nebraska’s towns (34%) and U.S. towns (8%). Of the 51 Nebraska towns we compare, none has a lower typical home value than Chester. Chester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 407 in 1890, a peak of 634 in 1940, 224 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 2 maps from 1960 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chester, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Chester.
The typical Chester home is worth about $102,000, up 8% in a year, 63% below the Nebraska typical home. At $843 a month, Chester’s median rent is near the Nebraska town median ($914 a month) and below the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 78% of Chester households own their home.
| Chester | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 78% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $843 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Chester for work: only 1% work in town. The average trip to work in Chester is 13 minutes. The top destinations are Hebron (32%), Bruning (10%) and Fairbury (5%).
| Chester | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Chester has chilly winters and warm summers. Chester’s July high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Chester beats the Nebraska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Chester. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Chester.
| Chester | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 14% | 17% |
| What stands out | Chester | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.5% | 77.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Chester; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Chester residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Where Chester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Thayer County, Nebraska, United States
Chester is a village in Thayer County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 226 at the 2020 census. Chester is notable as being the birthplace of six-man football. Chester's annual celebration, Chesterfest is held the last weekend in June and features vendors, tournaments, car show, kid games, among other attractions, and the ever popular Sat. evening Concert.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Chester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.