Cornwell Inn · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Chester spent more per resident in 2022 than 67% of similar cities
Chester’s city government spent $7.5 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,391 per resident.
What stands out about how Chester is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,391 per resident in 2022: more than 67% of them
Chester’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,391 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 43 South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,137, and the middle half spent $694–$1,617. Chester spent more than 67% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1.3 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Chester itself left out).
About $1,391 per resident a year, or $3.81 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 23%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Chester reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,075 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.87% of the home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Chester’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Chester’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Chester →
Who’s in charge in Chester
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Chester’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on chestersc.org ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 70 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (5,363).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Chester County School District
Chester’s K–12 school district, shared with Fort Lawn, Great Falls, Lowrys, Richburg. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $16,618 per pupil, $7,847 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
South Carolina districts overall: 45% local, 43% state, 13% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Chester’s votes are counted by county
South Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Chester alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Chester County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican58.0%9,030 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat40.8%6,353 votesOthers: 1.1% (173 votes).
Most votes in Chester County: Donald J Trump
South Carolina: Trump 58.2%, Harris 40.4%
100% of Chester lies in Chester County. Every 2024 race in Chester County is on the county’s page.
Chester County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Chester.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: chestersc.org ↗
- 2South Carolina HouseState representatives
- 3South Carolina SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of South Carolina
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Chester compares with the towns next door
Chester spent $1,391 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Chester | $1,391 | $1,075 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Chester’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Chester’s government
How much does Chester spend per resident?
About $1,391 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,391 was more than 67% of 43 South Carolina cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Chester?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,075 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.87% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.48% across South Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see chestersc.org.
Who runs Chester’s government?
See chestersc.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Chester yet.
How did Chester vote in 2024?
South Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Chester alone. Chester County, where 100% of Chester lies, voted Trump 58.0%, Harris 40.8% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Chester?
77 full-time and 20 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $301,963 (about $3.6M a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Chester in the state legislature?
State Senate District 17 (Everett Stubbs) and State House District 41 (Annie McDaniel). The House district also covers four other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Chester’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →