Chester, PA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Chester, PA Summary

Cost of living in Chester research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chester is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Chester is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chester is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Chester ranks as the #77 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 247.

  • Chester ranks as the #2,137 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chester is $71,300.

  • The median income in Chester is $35,751.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Chester's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chester, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chester has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Chester has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.

The standard of living in Chester ranks as #77 most affordable out of the 247 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Chester ranks as the #170 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Chester, check out:

77 out of 247
In Pennsylvania
2,137 out of 6,412
In America

Chester Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chester. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Chester is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Chester is 125.

  • The Health index in Chester is 115.

  • The Housing index in Chester is 49.

  • The Transportation index in Chester is 111.

  • The Utilities index in Chester is 88.

Living Expense Chester Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 93 97 100
Services 109 99 100
Groceries 125 101 100
Health 115 97 100
Housing 49 85 100
Transportation 111 105 100
Utilities 88 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Chester Cost of Living Vs. PA

Chester, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chester is $71,300.

  • The Median Rent in Chester is $929.

  • The Median Income in Chester is $35,751.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chester is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chester is 0.31x.

Statistic Chester Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $71,300 $197,300 $244,900
Median Rent $929 $1,013 $1,163
Median Income $35,751 $67,587 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.0x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.31x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Chester, PA
$71,300
Median Home Value
$929
Median Rent
$35,751
Median Income

Chester, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Chester Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Chester Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $12.88 $10.68
Bowling $16.5 $14.67
Haircut $21.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $40.11 $39.05

Detailed Chester Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Chester Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $4.69 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.91 $1.39
Milk $2.54 $2.05
Potatoes $4.51 $3.29
Pizza $9.74 $10.62
Beer $8.74 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.86 $2.34

Detailed Chester Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Chester Pennsylvania
Optometrist $102.08 $108.57
Doctor $109.17 $116.17
Dentist $133.33 $99.13

Detailed Chester Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Chester Pennsylvania
Gasoline $2.16 $2.22
Tire Balancing $73.33 $50.07

Detailed Chester Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Chester Pennsylvania
All Electricity $129.7 $167.67
Phone $176.59 $175.64

Chester SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chester

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chester. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Ardmore, PA has a cost of living index of 126, 1.4x Chester.

  • Woodlyn, PA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Chester.

  • Ashland, NJ has a cost of living index of 117, 1.3x Chester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chester
Ardmore, PA 14,391 126 1.4x
Woodlyn, PA 10,332 106 1.1x
Ashland, NJ 9,248 117 1.3x
Conshohocken, PA 9,104 124 1.3x
Audubon, PA 8,883 131 1.4x
Village Green-Green Ridge, PA 8,592 112 1.2x
Folsom, PA 8,430 111 1.2x
Brookhaven, PA 8,243 112 1.2x
Haddon Heights, NJ 7,453 119 1.3x
Ridley Park, PA 7,131 112 1.2x

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