Chester is a city located in Randolph County Illinois. Chester has a 2024 population of 6,706. It is also the county seat of Randolph County. Chester is currently declining at a rate of -0.39% annually and its population has decreased by -1.53% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 6,810 in 2020.
The average household income in Chester is $84,890 with a poverty rate of 19.55%. The median age in Chester is 43.5 years: 41.9 years for males, and 49.8 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Chester was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,891 | 71.61% |
| Black or African American | 1,756 | 25.71% |
| Two or more races | 122 | 1.79% |
| Other race | 37 | 0.54% |
| Native American | 24 | 0.35% |
| Asian | 0 | 0% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1,951 | 2.07 | 71 | 29 |
| Non Family | 893 | 1.11 | 56.6 | 43.4 |
| Married | 784 | 2.91 | 91.5 | 8.5 |
| Female | 144 | 2.93 | 46.5 | 53.5 |
| Male | 130 | 2.68 | 74.6 | 25.4 |
2.76
Average Family Size
2.07
Average Household Size
71.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,107 | 19.22% |
| Associates Degree | 268 | 4.65% |
| Bachelors Degree | 361 | 6.27% |
| Graduate Degree | 86 | 1.49% |
| High School Graduate | 2,481 | 43.08% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 255 | 4.43% |
| Some College | 1,201 | 20.85% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,867 | 3,406 | 414 |
| Black | 1,598 | 827 | 27 |
| Hispanic | 257 | 147 | 0 |
| 2+ Races | 104 | 33 | 2 |
| Other Race | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| Native American | 24 | 4 | 4 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among other race people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among native american people with a rate of 16.67%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,083 | $84,444 | $42,006 |
| Graduate Degree | $61,417 | $0 | $60,313 |
| High School Graduate | $48,830 | $71,469 | $37,411 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $37,679 | $55,385 | $0 |
| Overall | $48,726 | $70,570 | $40,164 |
| Some College | $49,722 | $56,765 | $40,969 |
$48,726
Average Earnings
$70,570
Average Male
$40,164
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
96.62% of Chester residents speak only English, while 3.38% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.29% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,987 | 684 | 17.16% |
| Black | 162 | 146 | 90.12% |
| Hispanic | 106 | 14 | 13.21% |
| Other | 37 | 2 | 5.41% |
19.55%
Overall Poverty Rate
25.01%
Male Poverty Rate
13.77%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Chester is Black, with 90.12% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Chester is Other, with 5.41% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.96%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.83%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 35.85%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 47.13% |
| High School | 18.75% |
| Some College | 16.67% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.19% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 58.97% |
| Female Employed | 9.43% |
| Male Employed | 3.95% |
| Male Unemployed | 0% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $112,846 | $101,593 |
| Households | $74,673 | $84,890 |
| Married Families | $120,000 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $44,975 | $60,718 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
32.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
27.2%
Male Marriage Rate
46.5%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
492
Number of Veterans
454
Male Veterans
38
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 197 |
| Vietnam | 114 |
| Second Gulf War | 111 |
| Korea | 13 |
| World War II | 3 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 178 |
| 65 to 74 | 128 |
| 55 to 64 | 120 |
| 75+ | 44 |
| 18 to 34 | 22 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 467 | 11.11% |
| Black | 11 | 0.63% |
| Other Race | 11 | 33.33% |
| Hispanic | 11 | 3.83% |
| Native American | 3 | 12.5% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.6%
Veteran Poverty Rate
23.06%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
35.3%
Labor Force Participation
33.5%
Employment Rate
3%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
75.36%
Born in Chester
98.4%
Native Born
1.6%
Foreign Born
0.89%
Non Citizen
0.7%
Naturalized
98.4% of Chester residents were born in the United States, with 75.36% having been born in Illinois. 0.89% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 6,576 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2028 | 6,602 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2027 | 6,628 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2026 | 6,654 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2025 | 6,680 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2024 | 6,706 | -26 | -0.39% |
| 2023 | 6,732 | -40 | -0.59% |
| 2022 | 6,772 | -45 | -0.66% |
| 2021 | 6,817 | 7 | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 6,810 | -1,403 | -17.08% |
| 2019 | 8,213 | -77 | -0.93% |
| 2018 | 8,290 | -23 | -0.28% |
| 2017 | 8,313 | -25 | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 8,338 | -226 | -2.64% |
| 2015 | 8,564 | -84 | -0.97% |
| 2014 | 8,648 | -11 | -0.13% |
| 2013 | 8,659 | 129 | 1.51% |
| 2012 | 8,530 | -97 | -1.12% |
| 2011 | 8,627 | 45 | 0.52% |
| 2010 | 8,582 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 5,185 | -3,009 | -36.72% |
| 1990 | 8,194 | -207 | -2.46% |
| 1980 | 8,401 | 3,091 | 58.21% |
| 1970 | 5,310 | 850 | 19.06% |
| 1960 | 4,460 | -929 | -17.24% |
| 1950 | 5,389 | 279 | 5.46% |
| 1940 | 5,110 | 1,188 | 30.29% |
| 1930 | 3,922 | 1,018 | 35.06% |
| 1920 | 2,904 | 157 | 5.72% |
| 1910 | 2,747 | -85 | -3% |
| 1900 | 2,832 | 124 | 4.58% |
| 1890 | 2,708 | 128 | 4.96% |
| 1880 | 2,580 | -3,996 | -60.77% |