Chester County, Pennsylvania Demographics 2026
Chester County, Pennsylvania has a population of 547,840, the 7th most populous county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $127,208 and the median home value is $485,600. The poverty rate is 6.0%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Chester County Quick Facts
How Chester County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 540,896 | 547,840 | +1.3% |
| Median household income | $123,041 | $127,208 | +3.4% |
| Median home value | $461,800 | $485,600 | +5.2% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 45 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Chester County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Chester | 20,666 | $78,385 | 20.4% | $490,700 |
| Phoenixville | 19,452 | $102,138 | 8.2% | $369,600 |
| Coatesville | 13,353 | $59,256 | 18.1% | $194,000 |
| Downingtown | 8,255 | $96,228 | 5.6% | $353,800 |
| Lionville | 7,683 | $100,582 | 4.5% | $438,700 |
| Exton | 6,772 | $120,697 | 3.2% | $554,200 |
| Paoli | 6,362 | $138,396 | 3.8% | $481,200 |
| Kennett Square | 6,243 | $80,505 | 5.3% | $402,700 |
| Chesterbrook | 5,839 | $124,295 | 7.5% | $453,400 |
| Oxford | 5,825 | $67,733 | 23.7% | $313,800 |
| Parkesburg | 3,937 | $76,250 | 17.4% | $305,900 |
| Thorndale | 3,854 | $99,479 | 2.4% | $341,900 |
| Berwyn | 3,680 | $145,833 | 15.2% | $639,400 |
| Spring City | 3,657 | $76,419 | 12.0% | $269,100 |
| Malvern | 3,435 | $117,548 | 4.5% | $521,800 |
| Frazer | 3,389 | $141,801 | 4.2% | $611,700 |
| West Grove | 2,798 | $92,697 | 14.1% | $319,900 |
| Caln | 2,220 | $78,347 | 7.0% | $247,600 |
| Eagleview | 2,050 | $137,417 | 1.8% | $631,300 |
| Lincoln University | 2,017 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Kenilworth | 2,013 | $105,729 | 5.1% | $348,800 |
| Honey Brook | 1,941 | $94,375 | 2.5% | $272,700 |
| South Coatesville | 1,928 | $76,005 | 15.0% | $280,200 |
| South Pottstown | 1,893 | $71,506 | 3.2% | $263,900 |
| Devon | 1,806 | $219,063 | 6.0% | $761,000 |
| Hayti | 1,803 | $77,213 | 18.4% | $283,000 |
| Nottingham | 1,508 | $79,656 | 14.7% | $329,400 |
| Westwood (Chester County) | 1,501 | $87,804 | 2.0% | $176,400 |
| Elverson | 1,458 | $78,000 | 9.4% | $369,900 |
| Atglen | 1,272 | $120,417 | 13.8% | $338,800 |
| Pughtown | 1,125 | $171,500 | 0.0% | $433,100 |
| Avondale | 1,084 | $78,681 | 8.6% | $301,000 |
| Sadsburyville | 967 | $113,125 | 6.6% | $301,800 |
| Glenmoore | 910 | $148,875 | 0.3% | $494,600 |
| Pomeroy | 856 | $63,750 | 0.0% | $254,700 |
| Toughkenamon | 804 | $116,458 | 29.8% | $387,300 |
| Unionville (Chester County) | 652 | $132,313 | 0.0% | $473,700 |
| Cochranville | 590 | $116,250 | 3.0% | $306,700 |
| Modena | 442 | $82,895 | 9.5% | $211,800 |
| Marshallton (Chester County) | 438 | $108,958 | 0.0% | $501,700 |
| Eagle | 413 | $86,641 | 0.0% | $318,800 |
| Kimberton | 377 | $58,625 | 2.9% | $386,400 |
| Hamorton | 138 | $146,274 | 0.0% | $439,600 |
Explore Pennsylvania Rankings
Population Overview
Chester County is located in Pennsylvania with a total population of 547,840. It is the 7th most populous county out of 67 in Pennsylvania. The county encompasses 43 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Chester County is 40.8 years. This is about the same as the state median of 40.9 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Chester County is $127,208. This is 63% higher than the state median of $77,971. It is also 58% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.0%. This is 49% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $485,600. Housing costs are 91% higher than the state median of $254,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 75.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 69.3%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Chester County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.4%. The Black or African American population (4.9%) is well below the state average of 10.3%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (6.7% vs 3.8%).
Education
57.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Chester County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 62% higher than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.9%. Notably, 24.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Chester County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Pennsylvania and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Chester County, Pennsylvania?
Chester County has a population of 547,840, making it the 7th most populous county in Pennsylvania.
What is the median income in Chester County?
The median household income in Chester County is $127,208 with a poverty rate of 6.0%.
How many cities are in Chester County, Pennsylvania?
Chester County contains 43 Census-designated places.