HomePennsylvaniaChester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Chester County, Pennsylvania had an estimated 560,745 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 534,418, across 751 square miles. 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 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Chester County
How many people live in Chester County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024547,840
- 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-equivalents, Puerto Rico included131st of 3,222
Chester County is the 7th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable 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's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024560,745
- Census 2020 base population534,418
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.93 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20245,435
- 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 of 3,144
The county has grown 4.93 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Chester County
Where are people moving to Chester County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving13,696
- People arriving, from those returns23,058
- Tax returns filed by households leaving13,089
- Net household movement607
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.66 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$75.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$121,506
- Average income of a leaving household$121,384
- Largest single originMontgomery County (2,431 households)
- Largest single destinationMontgomery County (1,992 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 2,431 | 4,002 | $262.3 m |
| Delaware County | 1,999 | 3,607 | $271.8 m |
| Philadelphia County | 1,246 | 1,928 | $155.1 m |
| New Castle County | 705 | 1,259 | $155.6 m |
| Lancaster County | 580 | 1,058 | $36.1 m |
| Berks County | 454 | 723 | $30.4 m |
| Bucks County | 358 | 569 | $35.4 m |
| Camden County | 119 | 181 | $10.6 m |
Households arriving report $122 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Montgomery County, 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 is the Chester County economy?
- 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 the Pennsylvania areas BEA publishes4th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes100th of 3,127
- 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
Employment by industry in Chester County
- Covered employment, annual average251,284
- Establishments reporting16,598
- Average annual pay$87,886
- Average weekly wage$1,690
- Health care and social assistance, employment34,721
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$62,161
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment25,480
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$134,278
- Finance and insurance, employment23,985
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$169,683
- Retail trade, employment23,914
- Retail trade, average annual pay$45,750
- Manufacturing, employment17,891
- Accommodation and food services, employment17,379
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 34,721 | 1,981 | $62,161 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 25,480 | 2,766 | $134,278 |
| Finance and insurance | 23,985 | 1,067 | $169,683 |
| Retail trade | 23,914 | 1,336 | $45,750 |
| Manufacturing | 17,891 | 650 | $86,060 |
| Accommodation and food services | 17,379 | 1,048 | $26,335 |
| Construction | 12,590 | 1,502 | $89,906 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 11,914 | 991 | $63,444 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 34,721 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Chester County
How many businesses are 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. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chester County
Building permits in Chester County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,529
- Declared construction value permitted$442.6 m
- Single family units authorized1,187
- Multifamily units authorized342
- Multifamily share of units22.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$289,488
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.5
Single-family homes are 77.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Chester County
SBA loans in Chester County (7(a) and 504)
- 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$1,584,000
- 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$638,500
- 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)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$509.6 m
The average approval of $562,566 sits well above the median of $245,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here 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
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in 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.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chester County
SBA lending by place in Chester County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending37
- West Chester, approvals137
- Malvern, approvals81
- Exton, approvals58
- Downingtown, approvals57
- Phoenixville, approvals45
- Paoli, approvals34
| Borrower city | 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 |
| 29 other borrower cities | 204 | $108,843,400 |
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 large 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 boundary6
- 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
Flood risk in Chester County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book73
- Of those, participating in the NFIP73
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Chester County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Chester County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024547,840
- 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?
The Census Bureau estimates 560,745 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 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's population growing?
The population has grown 4.93 percent since the 2020 census base of 534,418, to 560,745 on July 1, 2024. 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 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 employment by industry in Chester County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 34,721 jobs, 13.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 251,284 jobs at an average annual pay of $87,886, or $1,690 a week. 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 totaling $379.7 m since FY2020, across 90 lenders, with a median approval of $245,000, plus 142 504 approvals worth $129.9 m since FY2010. 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.
How many building permits were issued in Chester County?
1,529 housing units were authorized 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 Montgomery County, with 2,431 households. Arriving households report an average income of $121,506 against $121,384 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Chester County
Cities and places in Chester.
47 Census places lie wholly or partly in Chester County. All 47 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Chester | borough | 20,666 | 137 | Wholly in this county |
| Phoenixville | borough | 19,452 | 45 | Wholly in this county |
| Coatesville | city | 13,353 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Downingtown | borough | 8,255 | 57 | Wholly in this county |
| Lionville | CDP | 7,683 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Exton | CDP | 6,772 | 58 | Wholly in this county |
| Paoli | CDP | 6,362 | 34 | Wholly in this county |
| Kennett Square | borough | 6,243 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
| Chesterbrook | CDP | 5,839 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Oxford | borough | 5,825 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Parkesburg | borough | 3,937 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Thorndale | CDP | 3,854 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Berwyn | CDP | 3,680 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Spring City | borough | 3,657 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Malvern | borough | 3,435 | 81 | Wholly in this county |
| Frazer | CDP | 3,389 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| West Grove | borough | 2,798 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Caln | CDP | 2,220 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eagleview | CDP | 2,050 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lincoln University | CDP | 2,017 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Kenilworth | CDP | 2,013 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Honey Brook | borough | 1,941 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| South Coatesville | borough | 1,928 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Pottstown | CDP | 1,893 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Devon | CDP | 1,806 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Hayti | CDP | 1,803 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nottingham | CDP | 1,508 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Westwood | CDP | 1,501 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elverson | borough | 1,458 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Chadds Ford | CDP | 1,341 | 4 | 77.1 percent here, 22.9 percent Delaware County |
| Atglen | borough | 1,272 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Pughtown | CDP | 1,125 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dilworthtown | CDP | 1,090 | None recorded | 84.4 percent here, 15.6 percent Delaware County |
| Avondale | borough | 1,084 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Sadsburyville | CDP | 967 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenmoore | CDP | 910 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Pomeroy | CDP | 856 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Toughkenamon | CDP | 804 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Unionville | CDP | 652 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cochranville | CDP | 590 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Cambridge | CDP | 576 | None recorded | 5.7 percent here, 94.3 percent Lancaster County |
| Modena | borough | 442 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marshallton | CDP | 438 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eagle | CDP | 413 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kimberton | CDP | 377 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cheyney University | CDP | 308 | None recorded | 76.7 percent here, 23.3 percent Delaware County |
| Hamorton | CDP | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 69 of the county's 675 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Chester County, the largest being Pottstown (19), Wayne (17), Chester Springs (17). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.