Chester, Massachusetts Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 681, Chester's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Chester is a small community located in Massachusetts, within Hampden County. The total population is 681. It ranks as the 233rd most populous out of 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chester is 42.4 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. With 31.4% of the population under 18, Chester has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chester is $77,143. This is 26% lower than the state median of $103,960. It is also 4% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.2%. This is 78% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 65% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $257,400. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 66.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Chester has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 13.3%.

Education

15.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 68% lower than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chester, Massachusetts is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Massachusetts state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.