The Town FilesChester, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 549 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,500
- Household income
- $64,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.0
Chester is a town of 549 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $172,500, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Maine towns, quieter than 90% of Maine towns.
How Chester ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester is worth $172,500, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $64,500, which is more affordable than 77% of Maine towns. Median rent is $833 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,500 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $833 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $64,500 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.9% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.0% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 44.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 86.1 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1971 about 1.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 7, 1971.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 2, 2019.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Chester
- Lincoln, ME4.9 mi · 2,667 people · home $142,100
- Lincoln, ME6.3 mi · 4,853 people · home $141,500
- Lee, ME10.8 mi · 916 people · home $174,500
- Enfield, ME10.9 mi · 1,435 people · home $178,100
- Mattawamkeag, ME12.8 mi · 596 people · home $104,200
- Howland, ME13.5 mi · 947 people · home $152,100
- East Millinocket, ME13.8 mi · 1,560 people · home $86,200
- Medway, ME14.5 mi · 1,187 people · home $100,400
Chester questions
Is Chester, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 14% of Maine towns and quieter than 90%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $172,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,500, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $833 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.3 inches of precipitation a year and 86.1 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 1971. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)