Chester, Texas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 156, 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 Texas, within Tyler County. The total population is 156. It ranks as the 1604th most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chester is 58.0 years. This is 63% higher than the state median of 35.6 years. Only 6.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.2% 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 $64,375. This is 18% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.1%. This is 63% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Chester, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $118,800. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Chester is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 92.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 48% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Chester has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.0% vs 39.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (5.1%) is well below the state average of 39.7%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

25.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chester, Texas 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 Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.