Chester County vs Lancaster County
A side-by-side comparison of Chester County and Lancaster County: population, income, housing, and more.
Chester County and Lancaster County are counties in Pennsylvania. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Lancaster County has the higher population (555,151 vs 540,896 in Chester County). Chester County has the higher median household income ($123,041 vs $83,703 in Lancaster County). Chester County has the higher median home value ($461,800 vs $279,400 in Lancaster County).
Population, income & housing
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 540,896 | 555,151 |
| Median age | 40.7 yrs | 39.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $123,041 | $83,703 |
| Median home value | $461,800 | $279,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,691 | $1,289 |
| Housing units | 210,730 | 217,863 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 69.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.6% | 31.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 519,560 → 540,896 (+4.1%) | 540,999 → 555,151 (+2.6%) |
| Median household income | $100,214 → $123,041 (+22.8%) | $66,056 → $83,703 (+26.7%) |
| Median home value | $357,100 → $461,800 (+29.3%) | $209,400 → $279,400 (+33.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,330 → $1,691 (+27.1%) | $1,009 → $1,289 (+27.8%) |
Chester County
519,560540,896
$100,214$123,041
$357,100$461,800
$1,330$1,691
Lancaster County
540,999555,151
$66,056$83,703
$209,400$279,400
$1,009$1,289
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.9% | 17.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.0% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 12.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 11.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 12.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.3% | 10.6% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 8.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.3% | 79.8% |
| Black or African American | 4.9% | 3.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 6.4% | 2.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 2.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% | 11.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.1% | 12.9% |
| High school graduate | 19.3% | 34.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 19.0% | 21.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.9% | 19.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 23.7% | 11.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 66.9% | 73.3% |
| Carpooled | 6.6% | 10.0% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 1.9% | 3.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| Worked from home | 21.7% | 10.3% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 60.4% | 55.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 19.1% | 21.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.2% | 7.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| 20 or more units | 6.8% | 5.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.2% | 3.7% |
Poverty & households
| Chester County | Lancaster County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 8.7% |
| Average household size | 2.60 | 2.57 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1977 |
Full profiles
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