The Town FilesChester, New Hampshire
Town in Rockingham County · population 5,232 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $552,300
- Household income
- $142,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 47.2
Chester is a town of 5,232 people in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $552,300, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of New Hampshire towns, better for families than 91% of New Hampshire towns, better transit than 91% of New Hampshire towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New Hampshire
- #9 in The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Families in America
- #9 in The 50 Best Places for Young Families in America
- #11 in The 50 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- #13 in The 50 Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- #14 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in New Hampshire
How Chester ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chester is worth $552,300, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $142,212, which is more affordable than 46% of New Hampshire towns. 97.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chester | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $552,300 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | — | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $142,212 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 97.7% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chester
| People | Chester | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.1% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 92.5% |
Weather in Chester
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.5 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 9, 1963 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 1963.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 15, 2024.
Severe weather in Rockingham County since 1996
Rockingham County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Rockingham County
Rockingham County had 157,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,537 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Chester itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Chester
1 public school with 514 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Academy | PK-8 | 514 | 11.7 |
Towns near Chester
- Raymond, NH4.2 mi · 10,684 people · home $370,400
- Sandown, NH5.0 mi · 6,548 people · home $483,400
- Raymond, NH5.4 mi · 3,738 people · home $314,900
- Auburn, NH5.7 mi · 5,946 people · home $600,300
- Candia, NH6.6 mi · 4,013 people · home $415,600
- Derry, NH6.8 mi · 22,879 people · home $391,200
- Derry, NH6.8 mi · 34,317 people · home $432,000
- Fremont, NH7.0 mi · 4,739 people · home $416,900
Chester questions
Is Chester, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chester scores better for retirees than 30% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 63%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.2).
How much does a house cost in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in Chester is valued at $552,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $142,212, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Chester?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 75.5 inches of snow.
Does Chester get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 9, 1963. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)