The Town FilesChester, Montana
Town in Liberty County · population 847 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,900
- Household income
- $53,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 57.5
Chester is a town of 847 people in Liberty County, Montana. The median home is worth $172,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of Montana towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Montana towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Montana towns.
How Chester ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester is worth $172,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $53,750, which is more affordable than 74% of Montana towns. Median rent is $720 a month. 55.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,900 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $720 | $893 |
| Median household income | $53,750 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 55.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 11.2 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.7% | 86.6% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 2.6°F. About 12.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.5 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 199 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 25, 1980 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 31, 2020.
Severe weather in Liberty County since 1996
Liberty County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| August 30, 2018 | Flood | DR-4388: Flooding |
| May 24, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4271: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Liberty County
Liberty County had 513 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,372 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Chester
3 public schools with 233 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness Schl | PK-6 | 134 | 13.4 |
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS | 9-12 | 62 | 12.4 |
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness 7-8 | 7-8 | 37 | 7.4 |
Chester questions
Is Chester, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 95% of Montana towns and quieter than 51%. 36.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.5).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $172,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,750, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $720 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 2.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.3 inches of precipitation a year and 36.5 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 25, 1980. The typical Montana town has had 1.
- 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)