Signals
Colonial Heights
Chester
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 21%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
46 · Bottom 42%
vs32 · Bottom 24%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
62 · Top 45%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Colonial Heights | Chester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,352 | 24,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,505 | $95,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,650 | $41,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,441/sq mi | 1,860/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $246,600 | $327,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,234 | $1,603 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 8.1% | 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 | 17 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 38.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.90 | 12.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.0% | 35.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.1% | 55.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 94.1% | 75.6% | 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
Colonial Heights
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Chester
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Colonial Heights
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Chester
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Colonial Heights, VA · Chester, VA · How this is calculated: methodology