Signals
Chester
Petersburg
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs25 · Bottom 3%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Chester | Petersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,474 | 33,537 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,104 | $50,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,686 | $29,418 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,860/sq mi | 1,476/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $327,200 | $189,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,603 | $1,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 38.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 21.7% | 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 | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.59 | 14.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.1% | 30.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.6% | 87.1% | 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.
Petersburg
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Chester
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
Petersburg
52
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Chester, VA · Petersburg, VA · How this is calculated: methodology