The Town FilesWest Chester, Pennsylvania
Borough in Chester County · population 18,671 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $490,700
- Household income
- $78,385
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 25.3
West Chester is a borough of 18,671 people in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $490,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns.
How West Chester ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in West Chester is worth $490,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $78,385, which is more affordable than 0% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,731 a month. 35.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Chester | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,731 | $996 |
| Median household income | $78,385 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 35.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Chester
| People | West Chester | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 9.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 2.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 17.2% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in West Chester
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Chester since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 22, 1955 about 1.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 31, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 10, 2008.
Severe weather in Chester County since 1996
Chester County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Chester County
Chester County had 251,284 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $87,886 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in West Chester itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in West Chester
17 public schools with 12,076 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Chester Henderson HS | 9-12 | 1,465 | 14.0 |
| West Chester East HS | 9-12 | 1,246 | 13.3 |
| West Chester Bayard Rustin HS | 9-12 | 1,189 | 12.8 |
| E N Peirce MS | 6-8 | 1,005 | 11.8 |
| J R Fugett MS | 6-8 | 892 | 12.1 |
| Stetson MS | 6-8 | 798 | 12.5 |
| Sarah W Starkweather El Sch | K-5 | 575 | 13.4 |
| Westtown-Thornbury El Sch | K-5 | 550 | 14.9 |
| Greystone El Sch | K-5 | 543 | 14.3 |
| Hillsdale El Sch | K-5 | 540 | 13.2 |
| East Goshen El Sch | K-5 | 514 | 12.5 |
| Pocopson El Sch | K-5 | 498 | 15.6 |
Towns near West Chester
- West Goshen, PA1.1 mi · 23,040 people · home $575,300
- East Bradford, PA2.2 mi · 10,339 people · home $603,700
- Westtown, PA3.0 mi · 11,154 people · home $616,200
- Thornbury, PA3.5 mi · 3,177 people · home $669,500
- East Goshen, PA3.8 mi · 18,410 people · home $528,600
- Birmingham, PA4.3 mi · 4,082 people · home $757,900
- West Whiteland, PA4.6 mi · 19,632 people · home $490,900
- Pocopson, PA4.7 mi · 4,455 people · home $689,800
West Chester questions
Is West Chester, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Chester scores better for retirees than 6% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 1%. 11.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.3).
How much does a house cost in West Chester?
The median owner-occupied home in West Chester is valued at $490,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,385, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,731 a month.
What is the weather like in West Chester?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 30.5 inches of snow.
Does West Chester get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Chester since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 22, 1955. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)