Income & Economy in Chester, PA
Household income, poverty rates, employment, and economic data — 2023 ACS Data
Income Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Median Household Income
$39,809
-46% vs national
Per Capita Income
$23,451
-37% vs national
Poverty Rate
30.8%
+127% vs national
Gini Index
0.4748
0 = perfect equality
Unemployment
17.6%
+238% vs national
SNAP Recipients
40.2%
of households
How Chester Compares
Source: Census ACS (2023)Chester vs Similar Cities
Source: Census ACS (2023)Compared to cities with under 10,000 residents. Chester is highlighted.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Where Do You Stack Up?
Enter your household income to see how you compare to other households in Chester. The median household income here is $39,809.
Income Distribution
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Employment Snapshot
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Unemployment Rate
17.6%
+244% vs PA avg
Labor Force
15,521
Employed
12,784
Mean Commute
20 min
How People Get to Work
Source: Census ACS (2023)Employment by Sector
Source: Census ACS (2023)Education & Workforce
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Bachelor's Degree+
8.2%
of adults 25+
High School Diploma+
38.2%
of adults 25+
Median Age
33.3
Work from Home
8.6%
of workers
The median household income in Chester, PA is $39,809, which is 45.6% below the national average of $73,224. Per capita income is $23,451. The poverty rate of 30.8% is higher than the PA state average of 11.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.4748, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality. The unemployment rate is 17.6%, compared to the state average of 5.1%. 8.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The average commute time is 20 minutes, with 8.6% working from home.