Chester County, Pennsylvania
Located in Pennsylvania, Chester County has a population of 547,840 residents and a median age of 40.8 years, making it the #131 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $485,600, and the median household income is $127,208, which is 69% above the national median.
Demographics
Chester County has a population of 547,840, making it the #131 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.8 years, which is 4.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Chester County is $127,208, ranking #37 out of 3,222 counties — 69.3% above the national median. The poverty rate is 6.0% and unemployment stands at 3.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Chester County is $485,600 (+72.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,763/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Chester County, 57.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 69.5% above the national average, ranking #39 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Chester County is 81.0 years. 12.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
11.1% of adults in Chester County smoke , 29.5% are obese , and 21.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 22.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Chester County is 1.7 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 11.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 6.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
6.5% of children in Chester County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 4.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 4.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Chester County is 82.9%. The mean commute time is 29.9 min, which is 8.3% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Chester County voted Democratic with a margin of 14.4%. The vote was 56.7% Dem / 42.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County, Pennsylvania has a total population of 547,840, making it the 131st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Chester County is 40.8 years, which is 4.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Chester County is $127,208, which ranks #37 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 69.3% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 6.0%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.8%.
The median home value in Chester County is $485,600, 72.3% above the national median. Renters in Chester County pay a median gross rent of $1,763 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Chester County, 57.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 69.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 29.9 min.
Chester County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 75.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.4%) and Asian (non-Hispanic) (6.7%).
All data for Chester County, Pennsylvania comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.