The Town FilesChester Gap, Virginia
Community in Rappahannock County · population 894 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $292,600
- Household income
- $69,063
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 35.6
Chester Gap is a community of 894 people in Rappahannock County, Virginia. The median home is worth $292,600, close to the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of Virginia towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of Virginia towns, hipper than 79% of Virginia towns.
How Chester Gap ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester Gap is worth $292,600, close to the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $69,063, which is more affordable than 33% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $857 a month. 69.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester Gap | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $292,600 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $857 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $69,063 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 69.6% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chester Gap
| People | Chester Gap | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Chester Gap
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 24.1°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.1 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester Gap since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 17, 2004 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 15, 1977.
Severe weather in Rappahannock County since 1996
Rappahannock County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| December 18, 2018 | Hurricane | DR-4411: Tropical Storm Michael |
Jobs and pay in Rappahannock County
Rappahannock County had 1,528 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,556 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Chester Gap itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Chester Gap
- Apple Mountain Lake, VA5.5 mi · 1,400 people · home $369,700
- Front Royal, VA5.9 mi · 15,011 people · home $314,400
- Skyland Estates, VA6.2 mi · 862 people · home $358,500
- Shenandoah Shores, VA7.8 mi · 1,112 people · home $273,900
- Shenandoah Farms, VA9.8 mi · 4,135 people · home $280,700
- Middletown, VA14.6 mi · 1,355 people · home $331,600
- Strasburg, VA15.8 mi · 7,083 people · home $269,100
- Marshall, VA15.9 mi · 1,854 people · home $436,000
Chester Gap questions
Is Chester Gap, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester Gap scores better for retirees than 95% of Virginia towns and quieter than 73%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Chester Gap?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester Gap is valued at $292,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,063, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $857 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester Gap?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 24.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 21.1 inches of snow.
Does Chester Gap get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester Gap since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 17, 2004. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)