The Town FilesChester, New York
Town in Warren County · population 3,086 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $306,400
- Household income
- $84,623
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 54.1
Chester is a town of 3,086 people in Warren County, New York. The median home is worth $306,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 92% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of New York towns, better for retirees than 86% 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 $306,400, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $84,623, which is more affordable than 32% of New York towns. Median rent is $868 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $306,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $868 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $84,623 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 37.8% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.5% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 5.8°F. About 43.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.5 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on July 16, 2024 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on July 13, 2023.
Severe weather in Warren County since 1996
Warren County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 12, 2013 | Flood | DR-4129: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Warren County
Warren County had 36,956 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,589 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Towns near Chester
- Warrensburg, NY13.2 mi · 3,045 people · home $165,300
- Warrensburg, NY13.2 mi · 3,959 people · home $167,400
- Lake George, NY19.0 mi · 3,502 people · home $354,500
- Ticonderoga, NY19.1 mi · 4,789 people · home $176,200
- Fort Ann, NY22.2 mi · 5,812 people · home $222,300
- Queensbury, NY24.2 mi · 29,169 people · home $311,100
- Ticonderoga, NY25.0 mi · 3,250 people · home $158,200
- Glens Falls North, NY26.1 mi · 9,530 people · home $308,100
Chester questions
Is Chester, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 86% of New York towns and quieter than 92%. 32.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.1).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $306,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,623, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $868 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 74.6°F and January lows 5.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 77.5 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on July 16, 2024. 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)