The Town FilesChester, Wisconsin
Town in Dodge County · population 895 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $267,200
- Household income
- $94,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 37.6
Chester is a town of 895 people in Dodge County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $267,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 85% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 84% of Wisconsin towns.
How Chester ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester is worth $267,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $94,583, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $267,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $936 | $951 |
| Median household income | $94,583 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 8.6°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on July 18, 1996 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Dodge County since 1996
Dodge County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Dodge County
Dodge County had 36,662 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,552 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Towns near Chester
- Waupun, WI3.8 mi · 11,344 people · home $188,600
- Leroy, WI5.4 mi · 956 people · home $232,700
- Burnett, WI5.8 mi · 831 people · home $279,200
- Trenton, WI7.0 mi · 1,219 people · home $294,400
- Waupun, WI7.1 mi · 1,373 people · home $324,600
- Kekoskee, WI8.1 mi · 896 people · home $305,100
- Oakfield, WI8.5 mi · 681 people · home $286,500
- Alto, WI9.1 mi · 1,055 people · home $250,500
Chester questions
Is Chester, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 29% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 30%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $267,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,583, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 8.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 40.9 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on July 18, 1996. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)