HomePennsylvaniaChester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Chester County, Pennsylvania has a population of 547,840 across 751 square miles, up 4.9 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $60.16 bn in 2024, 15,102 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 675 7(a) approvals worth $379.7 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Chester County
How many people live in Chester County
- Population547,840
- Households204,774
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$127,208
- Median age40.8
- Median gross rent$1,763 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$485,600
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher57.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree24.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over376,883
- Population under 18120,444
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over97,116
- Share 65 and over17.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64330,280
- Civilian labor force299,453
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.1 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties7th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents131st
Chester County is the 7th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.0 percent against 17.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Chester County
Is Chester County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.93 percent
- Census 2020 base population534,418
- Births, 20245,585
- Deaths, 20244,223
- Natural change, 20241,362
- Net domestic migration, 2024-196
- Net international migration, 20244,285
- Total net migration, 20244,089
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202411,265
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents545th
The county has grown 4.93 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Chester County
Where people moving to Chester County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving13,696
- People arriving, from those returns23,058
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.66 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$121,506
- Largest single originChester County Non-migrants (207,186 households)
- Largest single destination (207,186 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County Non-migrants | 207,186 | 442,531 | $37.59 bn |
| Montgomery County | 2,431 | 4,002 | $262.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,267 | 3,943 | $250.6 m |
| Delaware County | 1,999 | 3,607 | $271.8 m |
| Philadelphia County | 1,246 | 1,928 | $155.1 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,018 | 1,778 | $99.1 m |
| New Castle County | 705 | 1,259 | $155.6 m |
| Lancaster County | 580 | 1,058 | $36.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Chester County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Chester County
What the Chester County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$60.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$57.28 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years29.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Pennsylvania counties4th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents100th
- GDP per resident$109,814
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 29.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Chester County
Who employs people in Chester County
- Covered employment, annual average251,284
- Establishments reporting16,598
- Average annual pay$87,886
- Average weekly wage$1,690
- Sector 62, employment34,721
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,161
- Sector 54, employment25,480
- Sector 54, average annual pay$134,278
- Sector 52, employment23,985
- Sector 52, average annual pay$169,683
- Sector 44-45, employment23,914
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$45,750
- Sector 31-33, employment17,891
- Sector 72, employment17,379
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 34,721 | 1,981 | $62,161 |
| Sector 54 | 25,480 | 2,766 | $134,278 |
| Sector 52 | 23,985 | 1,067 | $169,683 |
| Sector 44-45 | 23,914 | 1,336 | $45,750 |
| Sector 31-33 | 17,891 | 650 | $86,060 |
| Sector 72 | 17,379 | 1,048 | $26,335 |
| Sector 23 | 12,590 | 1,502 | $89,906 |
| Sector 56 | 11,914 | 991 | $63,444 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 34,721 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Chester County
What businesses operate in Chester County
- Establishments, all industries15,102
- Employment at those establishments262,454
- Annual payroll$22.14 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chester County
What is being built in Chester County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,529
- Declared construction value permitted$442.6 m
- Single family units authorised1,187
- Multifamily units authorised342
- Multifamily share of units22.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$289,488
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.5
Multifamily is 22.4 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Chester County
How much SBA lending happens in Chester County
- 7(a) approvals recorded675
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$379.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$562,566
- Median 7(a) approval$245,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,600,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)7,626
- Jobs per approval11.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active90
- Distinct industries receiving approvals211
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms77
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter558
- Franchise loans87
- Franchise share of approvals12.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countChild Day Care Services (26)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (90)
- 504 approvals recorded142
- 504 gross approval dollars$129.9 m
- Average 504 approval$914,577
- Median 504 approval$640,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval10.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCSouth Eastern Economic Development Company of Pennsylvania (102)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals82.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$509.6 m
The average approval of $562,566 sits well above the median of $245,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 11.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chester County
Do SBA loans in Chester County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded126
- Paid in full117
- Charged off9
- Charge off rate on resolved loans7.1 percent
- Status: Paid in full117
- Status: Exempt from disclosure430
- Status: Cancelled74
- Status: Charged off9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed45
Of the 126 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chester County
Which parts of Chester County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending37
- WEST CHESTER, approvals137
- Malvern, approvals81
- EXTON, approvals58
- DOWNINGTOWN, approvals57
- PHOENIXVILLE, approvals45
- PAOLI, approvals34
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| WEST CHESTER | 137 | $88,779,700 |
| Malvern | 81 | $41,611,100 |
| EXTON | 58 | $39,469,300 |
| DOWNINGTOWN | 57 | $44,537,900 |
| PHOENIXVILLE | 45 | $19,585,500 |
| PAOLI | 34 | $17,779,000 |
| Kennett Square | 33 | $13,035,700 |
| Coatesville | 26 | $6,090,300 |
WEST CHESTER accounts for 137 approvals against 81 in Malvern. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chester County
How big is Chester County
- Land area751 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties28th of 67
- Width, east to west41.1 mi
- Height, north to south35.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land729
- Establishments per square mile20.11
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chester County
What hazards affect Chester County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book73
- Of those, participating in the NFIP73
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Chester County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Chester County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population547,840
- Households204,774
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$127,208
- Median age40.8
Common questions
Chester County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Chester County, Pennsylvania?
547,840, in 204,774 households, ranking 7th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Chester County growing?
The population has grown 4.93 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 5,585 births against 4,223 deaths, with net migration of 4,089. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Chester County?
$127,208. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $485,600, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,763 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Chester County?
15,102 establishments, employing 262,454 people with an annual payroll of $22.14 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Chester County?
Average annual pay is $87,886, or $1,690 a week, across 251,284 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Chester County?
675 7(a) approvals totalling $379.7 m since FY2020, across 90 lenders, with a median approval of $245,000, plus 142 504 approvals worth $129.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Chester County get paid back?
Of the 126 loans that have reached a final outcome, 117 were paid in full and 9 charged off, a charge off rate of 7.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Chester County?
1,529 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $442.6 m. Multifamily was 22.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Chester County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Chester County come from?
The largest single origin is Chester County Non-migrants, with 207,186 households. Arriving households report an average income of $121,506 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Chester County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Chester County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.