Chester, IL Profile: Facts & Data

The City of Chester had a population of 6,706 as of July 1, 2024. Chester ranks in the upper quartile for Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in Illinois. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Chester is located at latitude 37.9137 and longitude -89.8221 in Randolph County. The formal boundaries for the City of Chester encompass a land area of 5.81 sq. miles and a water area of 0.02 sq. miles. Randolph County is in the Central time zone (GMT -6).

The City of Chester has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Chester, IL Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	6,706 (100%)
Population in Households	4,104 (61.2%)
Population in Families	3,182 (47.5%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	2,602 (38.8%)
Population Density	1,162
Diversity Index²	56


INCOME
Median Household Income	$59,298
Average Household Income	$74,715
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	14%
Per Capita Income	$20,542
Wealth Index⁵	54
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Moderate (45.9)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	2,149 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	1,335 (62.1%)
Renter Occupied HU	506 (23.5%)
Vacant Housing Units	308 (14.3%)
Median Home Value	$134,145
Average Home Value	$170,674
Housing Affordability Index³	165

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	1,841
Average Household Size	2.23
Family Households	1,102
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Chester, IL - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Chester to the other 1,462 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in Illinois by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	-0.38%	-0.21%
Households	-0.08%	0.03%
Families		-0.04%
Median Household Income		1.93%
Per Capita Income		2.20%
Owner Occupied HU		0.49%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 290	80th
Population Density	# 587	60th
Median Household Income	# 1069	27th
Housing Affordability Index	# 1018	70th
Per Capita Income	# 1440	2nd
Diversity Index	# 227	84th

Chester, IL Profile: Facts & Data

Chester, Illinois - Basic Facts

Chester, IL Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Chester, IL - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

Chester, IL - Most Popular Things to Do

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