First Presbyterian Church of, 2007
Chester’s story
305 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,641 in 1850, 12,646 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 4 maps from 1906 on.
- 1721Chester is settled
Village of ChesterNY
Trash day: look up yours2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,991
2025 Census estimate · −2.5% since 2020
Median home value
$330K
Census ACS
Household income
$101K
median
Median age
38.7
years
Jobs based here
2,701
Balanced
TownGrade
A
#122 of 745 in NY
Is Chester a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Chester grades A overall, ranked 122nd of 745 in New York. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 93% of U.S. towns. The median household earns $101K and it is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns. What holds it back is price: homes are expensive, about $330K for a typical one and 3.4 times the Kiryas Joel metro’s $98K median household income. Chester’s average trip to work is 40 minutes, above both New York’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes).
What makes Chester stand out
Where Chester beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 93% of U.S. towns
16.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
0historic places
HistoryA−
Settled in 1721
A long history
A history going back 305 years.
The other Chester
Chester takes its name from Chester in Cheshire, England, 3,300 miles across the Atlantic.
UKUK editionCheshire, EnglandChesterA large town of 92,756
Photo: Meirion · CC BY-SA 2.0Chester, settled in 1721, takes its name from Chester, a large town in Cheshire, England.
Chester, NY3,300 miles · Chester, Cheshire
People92,7563,991 here
Typical home£260,000$752,000 here
Listed buildings69754 of them Grade I
TownGradeC+against UK towns#38 of 46 in Cheshire · here A against U.S. towns
3 more U.S. towns are named after Chester:Chester, PA33,996Chester Township, NJ7,795Chester, IL6,847
Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.
How Chester grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Chester is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.2 of 20; 7.3% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthGarnet Health Medical Center 7.4 miles awayA−Open →SafetyB+Open →SchoolsBeat 66% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 8% conserved landB+Open →History1 notable person born hereA−Open →Civic life2.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 589 attractions →United States Military Academy and 94 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Chester. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
Big draw39 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw39 mi MuseumThe Cloisters
32 mi LandmarkFerncliff Cemetery
2 mi Theme parkLegoland New York
33 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
United States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · The Cloisters: Paweł Drozd on Wiki Drozdpl cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 17:05, 27 December 2, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ferncliff Cemetery: Anthony22 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Legoland New York: MattCC716, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site: Crunch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Chester: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chester, and how to reach them.
PowerOrange & Rockland26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChester Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOrange County Board of ElectionsOrange County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code1091810918 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chester.
Chester is safe by national standards but not by New York’s; it also has commutes longer than most of New York.
OutdoorsB+
Conserved land covers 7.9% of Chester
1.4 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The trail density in Chester is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#209for trails in NY
| Chester | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.9% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
7.9%
conserved · 108 of 1,366 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carpenter Park | 0.1 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA−
Chester earns an A− for health
17% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Chester. Chester beats the New York average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of adults have high blood pressure in Chester.
84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Chester | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New York
8 better24 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Chester | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.8% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.1% | 17.2% |
Garnet Health Medical Center
7.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
71st
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Chester faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 86% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 12 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Chester.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
12
paid flood claims since 1979
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Chester is lower than in 74% of U.S. towns
At 10.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 60% of New York’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
Chester’s violent crime rate is 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
74%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Chester | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 9 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Chester0.5
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Chester9
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
74th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
60th
percentile among NY towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
36
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Chester, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Chester has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 18° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–81°
Fall42–63°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More young adults than New York overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 30% of residents (23% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). 14% of Chester residents are 65 or older. Chester has lost 2.5% of its people since 2020, down to 3,991 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
38.7median age · NY 39.8
| Chester | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 38.7 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 32% | 29% |
ChesterNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school26%
Some college32%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Chester | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.4% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 22.5% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.3% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.6% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.5% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0.7% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.7% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 31.9% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.2% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.5% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.9% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,000, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
A job hub: Chester has 1.5 jobs for every working resident and draws in 2,608 commuters
The average commute for its 1,856 working residents takes 39.8 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Chester for work: only 5% work in town. Since 2013, Chester has lost 599 jobs, to 2,701 in 2023. The top destinations are New York (21%), Chester (9%) and Goshen (8%).
5%work in town
| Chester | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $101,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Chester5%
New York21%
Chester9%
Goshen8%
Wallkill7%
21 mi
median commute distance
2,701
jobs based in Chester
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Chester sells for about $752K
$752Kmedian sale price
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chester
20pages on Chester
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Chester
Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Chester1.1 mi$14,000 tuitionUta Mesivta of Kiryas JoelUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Monroe6.2 mi$16,000 tuitionOrange County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Middletown9.6 mi$6,526 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Chester residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
About Chester
Town in New York, United States
Chester is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,646 at the 2020 census. Chester contains a village, also called Chester. Chester is the birthplace of Philadelphia-style cream cheese.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1721
- Area
- 25 sq mi
- Area code
- 845
Chester’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Chester.
ChesterGoshenChester
How the neighbors grade
Chester reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Chester with a neighbor →
Questions about Chester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chester, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Chester grades A overall, better than 86% of U.S. towns and #122 of 745 in New York. It grades A− for health, B+ for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Chester, NY expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $330,000, 37% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.