Chester reports less crime than 79% of U.S. towns
Chester reports less crime per resident than 79% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
What stands out about safety in Chester
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
For every 1,000 residents, about 9 property crimes reported
And about 0 violent crimes, in 2025. Below are 1,000 dots, one per resident; each colored dot is one reported crime.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Crimes reported to police in 2025 per resident; one person can be the victim of more than one, and some reports involve visitors.
Chester’s Safety Grade: A−
Property crimes plus 4× violent crimes reported per resident, 2023–2025, on a national curve.
How the Safety Grade works
- One score, from FBI data. Property crimes + 4 × violent crimes reported to police, per resident, pooled over 2023–2025. Violent crime counts more because it matters more to how safe a place feels. It’s the same score behind the Safest towns in NJ ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents that reported all 3 years: A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
- Violent and property sub-grades use the same curve on each rate alone. Trend only says improving or rising when the change is bigger than normal swings.
- What it can’t see: unreported crime, traffic safety, or which part of town incidents happen in. It’s our own summary of public data, not an official rating.
About one theft report every 24 days
Thefts were 100% of everything reported. Burglaries: 0. Vehicle thefts: 0.
2025 offenses reported
Most reports in most towns are thefts: packages, bikes, things left in unlocked cars. Locking up and a porch light go a long way.
Offenses reported to police, not convictions. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- It’s reported crime. Only incidents reported to and recorded by police appear here. Many thefts and some assaults are never reported.
- Small numbers swing. In a town of about 1,700, a handful of incidents moves the rate noticeably from year to year. The trend matters more than any one year.
- Visitors count too. Busy shops and workplaces draw people from elsewhere. Their incidents are counted against Chester’s residents, which raises the per-resident rate.
- Gaps are real gaps. A missing year means the department didn’t report a full year, not that nothing happened.
Property crime down 26% since 2022
Per 1,000 residents, 2022–2025, against New Jersey.
Show as a table
| Year | Chester property | New Jersey property | Chester violent | New Jersey violent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.8 | 12.7 | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5.8 | 14.3 | 0 | 2.2 |
| 2023 | 13.1 | 15.5 | 0 | 2.3 |
| 2022 | 11.9 | 14.3 | 0 | 2.2 |
Know who to call, and what the weather can do
For emergencies, the nearest ER, and the storms and floods Chester plans for.
Expected damage is higher than in 4% of U.S. communities.
Natural hazards in Chester →Phone numbers come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A number you add goes live once two neighbors confirm it.
Heads-up board
Neighbors looking out for each other in Chester.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Please don’t name or describe individuals. In an emergency, call 911.
Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: offenses known to law enforcement by city, 2025, and state and national rates. Counts are crimes reported to police, not convictions. The Safety Grade is our own summary of that data, not an official rating. Natural hazards: FEMA National Risk Index and flood insurance claims. Hospitals: CMS Hospital General Information. This isn’t an official statement of public safety. In an emergency, call 911.