Chester, WV housing market
The typical Chester home is worth about $124,000, up 5.3% in a year, 31% below the West Virginia typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Chester compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Chester at a glance
Only 2 sales in April 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Chester | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $80,000 | $114,000 |
| 2018 | $82,000 | $116,000 |
| 2019 | $84,000 | $120,000 |
| 2020 | $87,000 | $122,000 |
| 2021 | $100,000 | $137,000 |
| 2022 | $107,000 | $149,000 |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $158,000 |
| 2024 | $113,000 | $163,000 |
| 2025 | $119,000 | $175,000 |
| 2026 | $121,000 | $176,000 |
| August 2026 | $124,000 | $180,000 |
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Chester in 2025. The last year with any was 2003 (1 new home).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Chester's population fell by 377 and no new homes were permitted.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $100,000 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Chester's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Chester and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | $124K | +5.3% | $1,060 | 0 | $56,607 |
| Newell | $84K | +10.5% | $970 | — | $60,278 |
2.2 years of income
The typical Chester home costs about 2.2 years of the town's median household income, less than across West Virginia (3 years).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,060
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chester is $1,060 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Chester pay a median of $647, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 22% of the town's median household income.
Studio $820 · 4 bedrooms $1,610
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (26034; Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, April 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.