Chester County, Pennsylvania Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 7th-largest in Pennsylvania

The population of Chester County, Pennsylvania is 540,896 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 7th-largest county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $123,041, the median home value is $461,800, and the median age is 40.7.

The population of Chester County has grown 12.2% since 2010 (499,935 → 560,745), a +0.82% annualized rate.

Chester County within Pennsylvania · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

540,896

Population

+0.82%

Annual growth

721

People / sq mi

$123,041

Median Income

$461,800

Median Home Value

Chester County covers 751 sq mi of land at 720.7 people per square mile.

About Chester County, PA

Chester County is a county in Pennsylvania with a population of 540,896. It ranks #7 among counties in Pennsylvania by population. The median age is 40.7, older than the national median. The population is 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

The median household income in Chester County is $123,041, above the US median of $74,580. 3.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $461,800, with monthly rent averaging $1,691. The homeownership rate of 74.9% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Chester County reflects 56.6% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 21.7% of workers primarily work from home, noticeably above the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 27.4 minutes each way.

Chester County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Chester County had a population of 499,935 in 2010 and 560,745 in 2024, a 12.2% growth over 14 years. The peak was 560,745 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.82%.

560,745

Population (2024)

499,935

Population (2010)

560,745

Peak (2024)

0.82%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	499,935	-	-	estimate
2011	503,488	+3,553	+0.71%	estimate
2012	506,049	+2,561	+0.51%	estimate
2013	509,101	+3,052	+0.60%	estimate
2014	512,776	+3,675	+0.72%	estimate
2015	515,098	+2,322	+0.45%	estimate
2016	516,768	+1,670	+0.32%	estimate
2017	519,057	+2,289	+0.44%	estimate
2018	522,256	+3,199	+0.62%	estimate
2019	525,059	+2,803	+0.54%	estimate
2020	534,860	+9,801	+1.87%	estimate
2021	541,036	+6,176	+1.15%	estimate
2022	547,248	+6,212	+1.15%	estimate
2023	555,310	+8,062	+1.47%	estimate
2024	560,745	+5,435	+0.98%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	78.4%
Black or African American	5.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

40.7

Median Age

50.4%

Female

49.6%

Male

17.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.4%

5–9

5.8%

10–14

6.9%

15–19

7.1%

20–24

6.1%

25–34

11.4%

35–44

12.9%

45–54

13.1%

55–59

7.2%

60–64

6.8%

65–74

10.3%

75–84

5.1%

85+

2.0%

Children (under 15): 18.1% · Seniors (65+): 17.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$123,041+$46,960 vs state
Mean household income	$165,377
Per-capita income	$63,089
Poverty rate	3.7%-4.4% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.6%
Employment-to-population	65.4%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

22.8%

Finance & real estate

17.1%

Information

11.0%

Manufacturing

10.9%

Education & health care

6.5%

Construction

5.5%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.2%

Retail trade

3.8%

The largest employment sector in Chester County is professional & business services, accounting for 22.8% of workers.

How residents commute

1.4%

Drive alone

1.9%

Carpool

66.9%

Public transit

21.7%

Work from home

27.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$461,800+$221,300 vs state

Median home value

$1,691

Median rent

74.9%

Homeownership rate

210,730

Total housing units

96.0%

Occupied

4.0%

Vacant

25.1%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.6%

With health insurance

96.6%

With broadband internet

26.4%

Foreign-born

5.3%

Veterans (18+)

9.4%

With a disability

86.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

94.9%

High School+

56.6%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (1,582,432)Pittsburgh (303,620)Allentown (125,320)Reading (94,836)Erie (94,156)Bethlehem (77,069)Scranton (76,074)Lancaster (57,683)Levittown (50,930)Harrisburg (50,092)All Pennsylvania cities →

Other counties in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia County (1,582,432)Allegheny County (1,240,476)Montgomery County (861,225)Bucks County (645,993)Delaware County (576,195)Lancaster County (555,151)York County (459,312)Berks County (429,989)Lehigh County (375,408)Westmoreland County (353,345)All Pennsylvania counties →

Part of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania demographic profile All Pennsylvania data →

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (6,241,882)Pittsburgh (2,443,921)Allentown (866,764)Harrisburg (597,894)Scranton (567,887)Lancaster (555,151)York (459,312)Reading (429,989)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Common questions about Chester County, PA

What is the population of Chester County, PA?What is the median household income in Chester County, PA?What is the median home value in Chester County, PA?What are the demographics of Chester County, PA?What is the cost of living in Chester County, PA?Is Chester County, PA growing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Chester County, Pennsylvania has a population of 540,896 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 7th-largest county in Pennsylvania. Population density is 721 people per square mile.

The population of Chester County has grown 12.2% since 2010 (499,935 → 560,745), a +0.82% annualized rate.

The median household income in Chester County, Pennsylvania is $123,041, with mean (average) household income of $165,377 and per-capita income of $63,089. 3.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Chester County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (78.4%), Black or African American (5.3%), Hispanic or Latino (0.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Chester County, Pennsylvania is 40.7 years. Residents are 50.4% female and 49.6% male.

The median home value in Chester County is $461,800 and median monthly rent is $1,691. 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 210,730 total housing units, 4.0% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Chester County, Pennsylvania is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 22.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

Philadelphia is among the largest cities associated with Chester County, Pennsylvania, with a population of 1,582,432.