1917 · Southern Illinois State Penitentiary · Library of Congress
Chester’s story
Chester in pictures
12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 3 places on the National Register.
ChesterIL
A town of 6,797. A typical home worth about $114K.
Population
6,797
−20.6% since 2010
Typical home
$114K
−0.8% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
43.5
years
Jobs based here
2,457
Balanced
What makes Chester stand out
The 3 things Chester does most differently from other towns.
$114Ktypical home
Housing
$114K typical home
62% below the IL typical home
Down 0.8% in a year.
2 miof trails
Outdoors
#249 most conserved land in IL
2.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
6.4% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Chester
Health
86% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than IL on 1 measures, worse on 20.
A shrinking town
Chester has shrunk 20.6% since 2010
8,586 people in 2010; 6,797 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Chester’s report card
Housing$114K62% below the IL typical homeCommute23 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors2 mi#311 for trails in ILHealthDHealthier than 14% of U.S. townsSafetyALess crime than 92% of U.S. townsHazards69/100High risk of storm & flood damageClimate88°/24°Summer high · winter low · 12″ snowSchoolsC+Beats 43% of IL districts
Now in Chester
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Chester is #813 of 819 in IL for “Fewest smokers”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Chester’s Town Square.
Weather
Forecast →91°
Clear
H 89° · L 64°
Local news
All →- Watch video of the Chester Bridge implosion in southern IllinoisRockford Register Star · Oct 1
- Bridge over Mississippi River in Chester, IL demolishedwandtv.com · Sep 28
- 84-year-old Chester Bridge demolished as hundreds watchWest Kentucky Star · Sep 28
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chester. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Chester home is worth about $114K
The typical Chester home is worth about $114,000, down 0.8% in a year, 62% below the Illinois typical home.
$114KZillow home value
Typical home value
Chester$114K
Illinois$298K
−0.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Chester
About one in 4 of Chester’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Steeleville (9%), Perryville (4%) and Sparta (3%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
24%work in town
Where working residents work
In Chester24%
Steeleville9%
Perryville4%
Sparta3%
Red Bud3%
23 mi
median commute distance
2,457
jobs based in Chester
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
6.4% of Chester is conserved land
2.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
#311for trails in IL
6.4%
conserved · 237 of 3,686 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#249
most conserved land in IL
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cole Memorial Park | 0.1 mi | 52 |
| 2. Cohen Fields | — | 38 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Chester beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better11 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Chester | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 7.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.8% | 7.8% |
Memorial Hospital
1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
4th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 92% of U.S. towns
Chester reports less crime per resident than 92% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
ASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Chester0.4
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Chester1.8
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
92nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
86th
percentile among IL towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
12
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
High risk, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Chester has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–44°
Spring45–67°
Summer66–87°
Fall46–69°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Chester’s public schools outperform 43% of Illinois districts
The public schools Chester’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 57% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Elem School | PK–8 | 640 | B− |
| St. John Lutheran School Private | PK–8 | 86 | |
| St. Mary's Catholic School Private | PK–8 | 85 | |
| Chester High School | 9–12 | 335 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Landmarks
3 places in Chester on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Chester
6 notable people were born in Chester.
More about Chester
Still missing for Chester:a photo of Chesterupcoming events