West Chester is a borough located in Chester County Pennsylvania. West Chester has a 2024 population of 19,988. It is also the county seat of Chester County. West Chester is currently growing at a rate of 1.68% annually and its population has increased by 7.08% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 18,667 in 2020.
The average household income in West Chester is $104,370 with a poverty rate of 20.97%. The median age in West Chester is 24.6 years: 24.9 years for males, and 24.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Chester was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 14,237 | 74.87% |
| Black or African American | 2,755 | 14.49% |
| Other race | 889 | 4.68% |
| Two or more races | 781 | 4.11% |
| Asian | 354 | 1.86% |
| Native American | 0 | 0% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,996 | 2.1 | 32.9 | 67.1 |
| Non Family | 4,593 | 1.65 | 21.1 | 78.9 |
| Married | 1,459 | 2.85 | 77.2 | 22.8 |
| Female | 692 | 3.36 | 17.1 | 82.9 |
| Male | 252 | 2.37 | 34.9 | 65.1 |
2.89
Average Family Size
2.1
Average Household Size
32.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 262 | 2.86% |
| Associates Degree | 351 | 3.83% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,246 | 35.39% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,851 | 20.18% |
| High School Graduate | 2,105 | 22.95% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 244 | 2.66% |
| Some College | 1,112 | 12.13% |
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 | 6,387 | 6,332 | 4,278 |
| Black | 1,264 | 1,156 | 252 |
| Hispanic | 1,178 | 835 | 295 |
| Other Race | 613 | 332 | 98 |
| 2+ Races | 365 | 358 | 179 |
| Asian | 180 | 180 | 146 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 81.11%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $71,645 | $81,115 | $57,567 |
| Graduate Degree | $81,661 | $92,115 | $66,250 |
| High School Graduate | $36,890 | $50,195 | $35,137 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,521 | $19,957 | $0 |
| Overall | $58,487 | $66,450 | $49,891 |
| Some College | $45,193 | $45,691 | $40,875 |
$58,487
Average Earnings
$66,450
Average Male
$49,891
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
89.53% of West Chester residents speak only English, while 10.47% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.16% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,396 | 1,784 | 17.16% |
| Black | 2,043 | 822 | 40.23% |
| Hispanic | 1,827 | 387 | 21.18% |
| Other | 844 | 168 | 19.91% |
| Multiple | 573 | 157 | 27.4% |
| Asian | 231 | 30 | 12.99% |
20.97%
Overall Poverty Rate
20.87%
Male Poverty Rate
21.07%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in West Chester is Black, with 40.23% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in West Chester is Asian, with 12.99% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.81%. Among those working part-time, it was 42.11%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.59%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 22.24% |
| High School | 19.86% |
| Some College | 7.66% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 2.85% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 58.32% |
| Female Unemployed | 45.7% |
| Female Employed | 17.12% |
| Male Employed | 8.68% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $99,847 | $147,003 |
| Households | $71,875 | $104,370 |
| Married Families | $153,819 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $58,194 | $80,922 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
18.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
20.3%
Male Marriage Rate
16.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, 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
454
Number of Veterans
356
Male Veterans
98
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 221 |
| Second Gulf War | 152 |
| First Gulf War | 38 |
| Korea | 0 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 199 |
| 18 to 34 | 111 |
| 75+ | 58 |
| 35 to 54 | 46 |
| 55 to 64 | 40 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 242 | 1.84% |
| Black | 151 | 6.54% |
| Hispanic | 66 | 3.53% |
| Other Race | 61 | 7.56% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.71%
Veteran Poverty Rate
24.28%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
67.3%
Labor Force Participation
62.4%
Employment Rate
7.3%
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
67.05%
Born in West Chester
94.89%
Native Born
5.11%
Foreign Born
2.29%
Non Citizen
2.82%
Naturalized
94.89% of West Chester residents were born in the United States, with 67.05% having been born in Pennsylvania. 2.29% 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 | 21,639 | 330 | 1.55% |
| 2028 | 21,309 | 330 | 1.57% |
| 2027 | 20,979 | 331 | 1.6% |
| 2026 | 20,648 | 330 | 1.62% |
| 2025 | 20,318 | 330 | 1.65% |
| 2024 | 19,988 | 330 | 1.68% |
| 2023 | 19,658 | -48 | -0.24% |
| 2022 | 19,706 | 220 | 1.13% |
| 2021 | 19,486 | 819 | 4.39% |
| 2020 | 18,667 | -1,369 | -6.83% |
| 2019 | 20,036 | -30 | -0.15% |
| 2018 | 20,066 | 23 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | 20,043 | 22 | 0.11% |
| 2016 | 20,021 | 38 | 0.19% |
| 2015 | 19,983 | 538 | 2.77% |
| 2014 | 19,445 | 426 | 2.24% |
| 2013 | 19,019 | 80 | 0.42% |
| 2012 | 18,939 | 149 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | 18,790 | 318 | 1.72% |
| 2010 | 18,472 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 17,861 | -180 | -1% |
| 1990 | 18,041 | 606 | 3.48% |
| 1980 | 17,435 | -1,866 | -9.67% |
| 1970 | 19,301 | 3,596 | 22.9% |
| 1960 | 15,705 | 537 | 3.54% |
| 1950 | 15,168 | 1,879 | 14.14% |
| 1940 | 13,289 | 964 | 7.82% |
| 1930 | 12,325 | 608 | 5.19% |
| 1920 | 11,717 | -50 | -0.42% |
| 1910 | 11,767 | 2,243 | 23.55% |
| 1900 | 9,524 | 1,496 | 18.63% |
| 1890 | 8,028 | 982 | 13.94% |
| 1880 | 7,046 | 1,416 | 25.15% |
| 1870 | 5,630 | 873 | 18.35% |
| 1860 | 4,757 | 1,585 | 49.97% |
| 1850 | 3,172 | -18,467 | -85.34% |