Chester County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Chester County, Tennessee has a population of 17,611, the 73rd most populous county in Tennessee. The median household income is $59,341 and the median home value is $164,400. The poverty rate is 16.1%.

Chester County Quick Facts

Population 17,611

Median Household Income $59,34190% MOE ±$11,635

Median Home Value $164,40090% MOE ±$10,069

Poverty Rate 16.1%90% MOE ±3.0 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.1%90% MOE ±2.2 pts

Median Age 37.6 years90% MOE ±0.9 years

Homeownership Rate 75.4%90% MOE ±5.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.0%90% MOE ±3.5 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.3%

Cities/Places 2

Population 17,611 73rd of 95

Median Income $59,341 15% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.1%

Unemployment 4.1%

How Chester County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	17,190	17,611	+2.4%
Median household income	$63,930	$59,341	No clear change (-7.2%)
Median home value¹	$150,023	$164,400	No clear change (+9.6%)
Median gross rent	$839	$756	No clear change (-9.9%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Chester

$59,341

$69,595

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Chester

$164,400

$286,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.6%

$25K-$50K 22.8%

$50K-$100K 29.3%

$100K+ 25.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.9%

$10K-$15K

3.8%

$15K-$20K

5.0%

$20K-$25K

6.9%

$25K-$30K

5.7%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

5.1%

$60K-$75K

12.6%

$75K-$100K

11.5%

$100K-$125K

7.6%

$125K-$150K

9.0%

$150K-$200K

3.5%

$200K+

5.3%

Employment

4.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

53.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.4%

Renter 24.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $756/mo 15.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

24.9%

35-54

23.1%

55-74

23.1%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 46 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Chester County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Henderson	6,411	$45,938	24.1%	$147,900
Jacks Creek	28	N/A	75.0%	N/A

Explore Tennessee Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Chester County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 17,611. It is the 73rd most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chester County is 37.6 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chester County is $59,341. This is 15% lower than the state median of $69,595. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.1%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $164,400. Housing costs are 43% lower than the state median of $286,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Chester County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 66.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chester County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.4%) is well below the state average of 7.4%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.9%.

Education

22.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 31.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.3%.

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 Tennessee 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, Tennessee?

Chester County has a population of 17,611, making it the 73rd most populous county in Tennessee.

What is the median income in Chester County?

The median household income in Chester County is $59,341 with a poverty rate of 16.1%.

How many cities are in Chester County, Tennessee?

Chester County contains 2 Census-designated places.