Housing data for Chester, SC
Chester, SC has an estimated 5,218 residents and 2,462 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Chester County.
40.9% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $902 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−3.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 5,218 (±42)
- Housing units
- 2,462 (±295)
- Households that rent
- 40.9%
- Median gross rent
- $902
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −3.5%
What stands out in Chester
Households that rent: 40.9% (±9.4 points) in Chester, higher than in Chester County (21.6%).
Households without a vehicle: 12.2% (±5.0 points) in Chester, higher than in Chester County (6.3%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 6.6% (±4.4 points) in Chester, higher than in Chester County (1.3%).
Homes built before 1980: 75.3% (±11.9 points) in Chester, higher than in Chester County (50.7%).
- Renters and owners in Chester
- Commute and cars in Chester
- Types of homes in Chester
- Age of homes in Chester
Housing in Chester at a glance
- Median rent: $902 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $877 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 45.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 40.9% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $46,138 median household income
- Home values: $123,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,162 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,075 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 6.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 57.2% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 75.3% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.4% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 51.9% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 28.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 1,554 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −3.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 12.0% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Chester against Chester County, its state and the nation
| Chester | Chester County | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 5,218 (±42) | 32,182 (exact) | 5,296,225 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,462 (±295) | 14,807 (±46) | 2,443,039 (±311) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 40.9% (±9.4 points) | 21.6% (±2.5 points) | 28.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $902 (±$102) | $853 (±$66) | $1,180 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $46,138 (±$6,703) | $52,458 (±$3,357) | $69,324 (±$570) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $123,000 (±$34,447) | $158,300 (±$10,602) | $259,000 (±$1,421) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,075 (±$409) | $890 (±$45) | $1,251 (±$7) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 75.3% (±11.9 points) | 50.7% (±3.9 points) | 32.8% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 28.3 minutes (±3.2) | 31.6 minutes (±1.8) | 25.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 82.6% (±5.9 points) | 83.0% (±2.0 points) | 88.8% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 38.8 years (±7.7) | 42.4 years (±0.4) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Chester covers 3.3 square miles of land, about 1,579 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Chester has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 5,408 (±20) | 5,218 (±42) | −3.5% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 2,644 (±210) | 2,462 (±295) | −6.9% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $580 (±$47) | $902 (±$102) | +55.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $67,100 (±$12,899) | $123,000 (±$34,447) | +83.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $26,330 (±$5,123) | $46,138 (±$6,703) | +75.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,040 (±$131) | $1,162 (±$108) | +11.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $627 (±$176) | $1,075 (±$409) | +71.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 52.4% (±5.6 points) | 40.9% (±9.4 points) | −11.5 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.3% (±3.6 points) | 4.4% (±5.7 points) | +1.1 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Chester
In 2024, the Chester Police Department reported 1,554 violent and 3,281 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Chester County, the departments that report recorded 585 violent and 1,588 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
Places near Chester
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka Mill | 1.5 mi | $542 | $180,300 | 12.2% |
| Lowrys | 7.0 mi | $2,143 | $197,500 | 12.4% |
| Richburg | 11 mi | — | $179,800 | 2.9% |
| McConnells | 12 mi | — | $258,300 | 7.9% |
| Lockhart | 16 mi | $1,069 | $37,500 | 21.4% |
| Carlisle | 16 mi | $1,000 | $66,300 | 26.2% |
| Fort Lawn | 18 mi | $1,355 | $185,300 | 30.0% |
| Sharon | 19 mi | $875 | $222,200 | 14.5% |
Places in South Carolina most like Chester
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belton | $972 | $133,500 | $49,107 | 44.3% |
| Varnville | $800 | $115,800 | $55,714 | 35.8% |
| Utica | $1,073 | $145,400 | $55,179 | 47.6% |
| Chesnee | $839 | $103,700 | $37,708 | 45.7% |
| Edgefield | $731 | $122,500 | $39,688 | 49.5% |
| Pacolet | $902 | $89,600 | $42,359 | 28.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across South Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Chester, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $844 | $850 | $1,103 | $1,515 | $1,593 |
HUD income limits for Chester, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $15,960 | $26,150 | $41,800 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $29,850 | $47,800 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $33,600 | $53,750 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $37,300 | $59,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $40,300 | $64,500 |
| 6 people | $43,300 | $43,300 | $69,300 |
| 7 people | $46,300 | $46,300 | $74,050 |
| 8 people | $49,250 | $49,250 | $78,850 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Chester County, SC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $67,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Chester
What is the average rent in Chester, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Chester is $902 (±$102) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Chester?
The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Chester, SC is $877 (±$117) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Chester rent-burdened?
45.1% of renting households in Chester pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Chester?
Chester has an estimated 864 (±211) renting households, 40.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Chester?
The median household income in Chester is $46,138 (±$6,703) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Chester, SC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $123,000 (±$34,447) for owner-occupied homes in Chester (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Chester growing?
In Chester, the number of residents went from 5,408 in 2015–2019 to 5,218 in 2020–2024 (−3.5%), a measurable decrease.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chester city, South Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Chester County, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Chester County, SC HUD Metro FMR Area
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Chester Police Department (ORI SC0120100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Chester city, South Carolina (place:14095, in state:45).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .