Signals
Chester
Richmond
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs82 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Chester | Richmond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,474 | 229,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,104 | $64,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,686 | $45,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,860/sq mi | 3,827/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $327,200 | $353,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,603 | $1,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 43.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 18.2% | 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 | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.59 | 12.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.1% | 26.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 36.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.6% | 90.4% | 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.
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Chester, VA · Richmond, VA · How this is calculated: methodology