The Town Files

Chester, Connecticut

Town · population 3,749 (2020 Census)

Map: where Chester is in ConnecticutChester
Median home
$442,200
Household income
$109,191
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 84°
Snow a year
26 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
54.0

Chester is a town of 3,749 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $442,200, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Connecticut towns, better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns, easier by car than 81% of Connecticut towns.

Chester in our rankings:

How Chester ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

Chester lifestyle rankings vs other Connecticut townsRetirement88th pctFamilies40th pctQuiet54th pctWalkability50th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals34th pctVibrancy24th pctHip & trendy75th pctCollege town90th pctUpscale24th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit25th pctDriving81st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Chester is worth $442,200, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $109,191, which is more affordable than 32% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,549 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.

Chester vs county vs typical Connecticut townChesterCountyTypical Connecticut townHome value$442,200$376,000Household income$109,191$109,167Monthly rent$1,549$1,462
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.
HousingChesterTypical Connecticut town
Median home value$442,200$376,000
Median rent$1,549$1,462
Median household income$109,191$109,167
Home value ÷ income4.0×3.6×
Homeownership73.2%80.3%
Median year built19691969
Seasonal / vacation homes0.8%—

Who lives in Chester

PeopleChesterTypical Connecticut town
Median age54.045.0
Age 65 and over26.8%20.6%
Under 1817.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher47.9%45.8%
Below the poverty line11.8%5.7%
Veterans5.3%—
Born outside the U.S.5.9%—
Work from home18.3%16.8%
Average commute28.3 min27.6 min
Homes with broadband97.3%93.8%

Weather in Chester

July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 44.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.2 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.

Chester monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°19°Jan39°20°Feb48°28°Mar60°38°Apr70°48°May79°57°Jun84°63°Jul82°61°Aug75°54°Sep64°42°Oct52°32°Nov42°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.07.42.97.74.04.54.10.83.54.03.43.54.34.53.40.44.15.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Meriden Markham Muni Ap station (18.9 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1998 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 1998.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Chester by decade11950s11960s11970s11980s21990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2012.

Public schools in Chester

1 public school with 207 students, about 9.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Chester Elementary SchoolPK-62079.9

Towns near Chester

Chester questions

Is Chester, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 54%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.0).

How much does a house cost in Chester?

The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $442,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,191, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,549 a month.

What is the weather like in Chester?

July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.9 inches of precipitation a year and 26.2 inches of snow.

Does Chester get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 30, 1998. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Chester's Census boundary (GEOID 0913014300). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.