Chester, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 152, 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 South Dakota, within Lake County. The total population is 152. It ranks as the 261st most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chester is 62.3 years. This is 64% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. Only 9.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chester is $68,333. This is 9% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Chester. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 7.2%. This is 147% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $147,500. Housing costs are 43% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Chester is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 87.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Chester has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.5% of all residents.

Education

20.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chester, South Dakota 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 South Dakota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.