Signals
Chester
Colonial Heights
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Chester | Colonial Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,474 | 18,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,104 | $76,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,686 | $37,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,860/sq mi | 2,441/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $327,200 | $246,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,603 | $1,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 68.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.59 | 12.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.1% | 48.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 60.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.6% | 94.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Chester
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Colonial Heights
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Chester
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
Colonial Heights
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
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Full profiles: Chester, VA · Colonial Heights, VA · How this is calculated: methodology