Chester County vs York County
A side-by-side comparison of Chester County and York County: population, income, housing, and more.
Chester County and York County are counties in Pennsylvania. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Chester County has the higher population (540,896 vs 459,312 in York County). Chester County has the higher median household income ($123,041 vs $82,238 in York County). Chester County has the higher median home value ($461,800 vs $235,000 in York County).
Population, income & housing
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 540,896 | 459,312 |
| Median age | 40.7 yrs | 40.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $123,041 | $82,238 |
| Median home value | $461,800 | $235,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,691 | $1,150 |
| Housing units | 210,730 | 188,608 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 75.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.6% | 27.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 519,560 → 540,896 (+4.1%) | 445,565 → 459,312 (+3.1%) |
| Median household income | $100,214 → $123,041 (+22.8%) | $66,457 → $82,238 (+23.7%) |
| Median home value | $357,100 → $461,800 (+29.3%) | $177,100 → $235,000 (+32.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,330 → $1,691 (+27.1%) | $957 → $1,150 (+20.2%) |
Chester County
519,560540,896
$100,214$123,041
$357,100$461,800
$1,330$1,691
York County
445,565459,312
$66,457$82,238
$177,100$235,000
$957$1,150
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.9% | 16.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 12.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 12.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 14.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.3% | 10.9% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 7.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.3% | 80.0% |
| Black or African American | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 6.4% | 1.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% | 9.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.1% | 8.6% |
| High school graduate | 19.3% | 38.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 19.0% | 26.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.9% | 17.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 23.7% | 10.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 66.9% | 78.5% |
| Carpooled | 6.6% | 7.4% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 21.7% | 10.5% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 60.4% | 64.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 19.1% | 16.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.2% | 6.5% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.3% | 4.8% |
| 20 or more units | 6.8% | 3.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.2% | 4.4% |
Poverty & households
| Chester County | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 8.6% |
| Average household size | 2.60 | 2.50 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1976 |
Full profiles
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