What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the most renters (49.8% rent).

Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chester	Chester
People
Population	4,033Lowest	12,668Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+5.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	38.7±6.6Lowest about the NY average	40.2±1.8Highest about the NY average
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.9%±7.1Lowest NY: 20.5%	23%±4.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.2%±4.6Lowest NY: 17.9%	14.5%±3Highest NY: 17.9%
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	38.4%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±3.7Lowest NY: 7%	5.4%±2.1Highest NY: 7%
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,514±$28kLowest 17% above NY	$139,778±$18kHighest 63% above NY
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,200±$72kLowest 22% below NY	$435,000±$30kHighest about the NY average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,010±$224Highest 24% above NY	$1,974±$194Lowest 22% above NY
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,940Lowest 5% above NY	$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.9%±20.2Highest NY: 52.1%	23.1%±16.6Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest NY: 14%	8.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%	78.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981 22 yrs newer than NY	1981 22 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minLowest 22% above NY	42 minHighest 29% above NY
Work from home	9.8%±5.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.6%±4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Chester and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#266 of 484 in NY
School district	—	CHESTER UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	CHESTER ACADEMY-MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.