The Town FilesChester, New York
Town in Orange County · population 12,646 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $435,000
- Household income
- $139,778
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.2
Chester is a town of 12,646 people in Orange County, New York. The median home is worth $435,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better transit than 90% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 81% of New York towns, more of a college town than 76% of New York towns.
How Chester ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester is worth $435,000, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $139,778, which is more affordable than 43% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,974 a month. 78.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $435,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,974 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $139,778 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.6% | — |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 42.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.3°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 29, 1971 about 9.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 29, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on July 2, 2021.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 15, 2024 | Fire | FM-5547: Jennings Creek Fire |
| July 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4615: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3572: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 155,524 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,619 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Towns near Chester
- Chester, NY1.8 mi · 3,993 people · home $330,200
- Walton Park, NY2.9 mi · 3,907 people · home $466,900
- Florida, NY4.0 mi · 2,888 people · home $361,800
- Monroe, NY4.6 mi · 21,387 people · home $462,100
- Monroe, NY4.8 mi · 9,343 people · home $427,800
- Goshen, NY5.3 mi · 14,571 people · home $458,700
- Goshen, NY5.6 mi · 5,777 people · home $396,300
- Palm Tree, NY5.7 mi · 32,954 people · home $758,800
Chester questions
Is Chester, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 61% of New York towns and quieter than 35%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.2).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $435,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $139,778, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,974 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 40.3 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 29, 1971. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)