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Chester, IL

Full City Profile · Illinois · Perry County County

2.9 /5.0
C+ Fair
6,830 Population 1,184/sq mi density
$74,673 Median Income $24,523 per capita
$107,800 Home Value $112,761 Zillow
$642 Median Rent 14.4% income on rent
56°F Avg Temperature 305 sunny days/yr
122 Violent Crime/100K 268 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.9 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.1 / 5.0
$74,673 median income, 1.0% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$107,800 home value, $642/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
122 violent crimes/100K
D
Education
1.6 / 5.0
7.8% bachelor's degree or higher

Chester, IL

At a Glance

Median Income
$74,673
1% below
$24,523 per capita
Home Value
$107,800
62% below
Zillow: $112,761
Median Rent
$642/mo
45% below
14.4% of income on rent
Violent Crime
122/100K
68% below
268/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
7.8%
77% below
76.4% high school+
Unemployment
1.0%
72% below
13.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
42.7%
33% above
20.7% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
56°F
305 sunny days/yr

How Chester Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Chester's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
99%
Home Value
38%
Rent
55%
Poverty
110%
Bachelor's
23%
Unemployment
28%
Crime
32%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Chester a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.9 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Chester residents earn a median household income of $74,673 , which is 1% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $24,523. The unemployment rate stands at 1.0% (72% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 13.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 580 business establishments, including 41 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Chester is $107,800 , 62% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $112,761. Median rent is $642/month, with 14.4% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1961.

Safety & Crime

Chester reports 122 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 68% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 268/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

7.8% of adults in Chester hold a bachelor's degree or higher (77% below the national average). 76.4% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.1/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Chester has an average annual temperature of 56°F (14°C). Winters average 32°F in January while summers reach 79°F in July. The area gets 305 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 42.8 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population6,830
Median Age43.5 yrs
Density1,184/mi²
Male / Female68% / 32%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.0%

Economy

A
Median Income$74,673
Per Capita$24,523
Unemployment1.0%
Poverty13.6%
County GDP$1,328M
Avg Weekly Wage$962

Housing

A+
Home Value$107,800
Rent$642
Ownership71.0%
Zillow$112,761
Housing Units2,233
Rent Burden14.4%

Crime

F
Violent122/100K
Property268/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault97/100K
Burglary49/100K

Health

Obesity42.7%
Diabetes13.0%
Smoking20.7%
Heart Disease6.8%
Premature Death8,592/100K

Climate

Avg Temp56°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain42.8 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation568 ft

Education

D
Bachelor's+7.8%
High School+76.4%
Graduate+2.2%
School Score5.1/10

Community

2024 VoteR 81% / D 18%
Commute21 min
Broadband81.0%
Internet Speed78 Mbps
EV Stations5
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Chester was built in 1961.
The nearest airport is Farmington Regional (32 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.416 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
26.7% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 4 fatal vehicle crashes.