Chester
What’s happening
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The Chester album
Outdoors in Chester
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
c. 1875
Chester waterfront ca 1875, c. 1875
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
About Chester
First city in Pennsylvania, United StatesChester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area and located on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The population of Chester was 32,605 at the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is the oldest city in Pennsylvania and was the location of William Penn's first arrival in the Province of Pennsylvania. It was the county seat for Chester County from 1682 to 1788 and of Delaware County from 1789 to 1851. From the second half of the 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, the city was a major center of heavy industry, manufacturing, and shipping. The city be…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Chester ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Chester
The median sale price was $129,000 in May 2026.
A seller's market
Safety in Chester
Safety Grade D
Chester reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less.
Schools in Chester
All Chester schools →School Grade D-
The public schools Chester’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 97% of Pennsylvania’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within PA. Ratings are from neighbors.
Famous people from Chester
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Where Chester is
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