Chester TownshipSD
A town of 695, settled in 1886.
Is Chester Township a good place to live?
Chester Township’s median age is 53.5 years, above both South Dakota’s towns (39.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Chester Township. The biggest park or preserve is Brant Lake West Game Production Area, at 51 acres. Chester Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
695 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Chester Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chester Township, and how to reach them.
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 Township.
Older than South Dakota overall
People 65 and older are 35% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 10% of residents (22% statewide). 26% of Chester Township adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more, below the South Dakota town median (33%) and near the median of U.S. towns (29%).
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.2 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Chester Township | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 2.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.1% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 26.4% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.7% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.4% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 35.5% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.2% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.2% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
The schools Chester Township’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Chester Area School District 39-1. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Elementary -02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 154 | B |
| Chester High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 107 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Chester Township has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Chester Township for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Chester Township has added 32 jobs, to 85 in 2023. Chester Township’s average trip to work is 22 minutes.
| Chester Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Homes in Chester Township are worth about $388K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Chester Township home is worth about $388,000, up 6.1% in a year, 22% above the South Dakota typical home.
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Chester Township, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Chester Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Chester Township is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Chester Township is
Chester Township beats the South Dakota average on 8 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 13% of Chester Township adults report frequent mental distress. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Chester Township.
| Chester Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 19% |
| What stands out | Chester Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.6% | 12.7% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6% | 8.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brant Lake West Game Production Area | — | 51 |
| 2. Brant Lake South Game Production Area | — | 13 |
| 3. Brant Lake East Game Production Area | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Chester Township
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Chester Township
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Chester Township
About 7 of every 100 Chester Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
97% of working residents leave Chester Township for work
Where Chester Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Chester Township
Census-designated place in South Dakota, United States
Chester is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lake County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 257 as of the 2020 census. Chester has been assigned the ZIP code of 57016.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 1,601 ft
- ZIP code
- 57016
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Chester Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chester Township, SD a good place to live?
Chester Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.