Chesterfield County, Virginia

Living in Chester, VA

Housing in Chester is mostly single-family houses — 68% of homes are detached. With about 23,400 residents, it's Chesterfield County's largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Chester market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $327K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $1,603; per month
Own their home: 71%; of households
Avg. commute: 28 min; one way

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Chester is valued at $327K, slightly below the Chesterfield County median of $366K — around the middle of the 13 Chesterfield County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $1,603 a month (county: $1,629).

Housing here is mostly single-family houses — 68% of homes are detached. Most homes are owner-occupied (71%, against 77% across Chesterfield County). The typical home was built in 1990, about the same as the Chesterfield County median of 1990.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 68%
Townhouses 6%
2–9 unit buildings 10%
10+ unit buildings 11%

Residents: 23,414; 2020 Census
Homes: 9,390; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1990; median year
Avg. commute: 28 min; one way
Transit commuters: 1%; of workers
Work from home: 17%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 17; Chesterfield County: 19

Questions

Living in Chester: common questions.

Is Chester a city? What county is it in?

No — Chester is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It has no city government of its own; Chesterfield County provides local services, and the mailing-address “Chester” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Chester?

$327K, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $366K across Chesterfield County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Chester market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Chester?

71% of households own their home and 29% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 77% owners across Chesterfield County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Chester home.

How far is Chester from Richmond and D.C.?

Chester is about 13 miles from downtown Richmond and about 109 miles from downtown D.C. in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 28 minutes.

Which schools serve Chester?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Chester is served by Chesterfield County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chester?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 17 (Chesterfield County: 19); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Chester?

Yes: Virginia Housing — the state housing agency's first-time buyer loans and down-payment assistance. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Chester?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Chester real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Chester, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Chester, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Chester sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Chester with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Chester and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Bellwood is about 3.7 miles away, Meadowbrook is about 5.9 miles away, Enon is about 6.4 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Chester	23,414	$327K	$1,603	71%	Single-family	28 min
Bellwood	7,678	$225K	$1,059	44%	Mostly houses	24 min
Meadowbrook	20,898	$298K	$1,583	75%	Single-family	25 min
Enon	4,075	$254K	$1,770	69%	Single-family	26 min
Bensley	5,971	$218K	$1,238	39%	Mostly houses	25 min
Ettrick	7,241	$211K	$1,191	72%	Single-family	21 min
Matoaca	2,655	$251K	$1,039*	76%	Single-family	32 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Chester?

Ask Fred for a current Chester market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Chester market report Compare Chesterfield County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.