ChesterWI
A town of 664, settled in 1847.
Is Chester a good place to live?
Only 1 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Chester. 13% of residents are 65 or older in Chester, below both Wisconsin’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). 42% of the land in Chester is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, 9,025 acres with 8 miles of trail. Chester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
664 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Chester: who provides what
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 Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chester.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Horicon National Wildlife Refuge | 8 mi | 9,025 |
| 2. Marsh Haven Nature Center | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Chester
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 88% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Chester since 2008.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Chester has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Chester for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Chester has lost 291 jobs, to 109 in 2023. 3% of Chester residents live below the poverty line.
| Chester | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Chester has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Chester has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 10° and about 41 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults in Chester have obesity than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
45% of adults have obesity in Chester. Chester beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 17% of adults smoke cigarettes in Chester.
| Chester | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Chester | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 16.8% | 13.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.7% | 5.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.9% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Chester
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Chester; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Chester residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
99% of working residents leave Chester for work
Where Chester’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Chester
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Chester is a town in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 895 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated communities of Atwater and East Waupun are located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 34 sq mi
- Elevation
- 886 ft
Questions about Chester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chester, WI a good place to live?
Chester has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.