City safety & data profile

West ChesterPA

West Chester, PA is a 20K-resident city in Chester County with a median household income of $78,385.

Chester County, Pennsylvania. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for West Chester, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. West Chester has a population larger than 43% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $490,700, and 2 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

20K
Population
Top 57%
By size
$78,385
Median income
$490,700
Median home
20.4%
Poverty rate

The read on West Chester

West Chester posts a median household income higher than 47% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 2 hospitals serve the West Chester area.

Top 53%
by median income, US cities
2
hospitals in & near West Chester

Where West Chester income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$78,385 Bottom 47% higher than 47% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. PA $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading West Chester, PA beyond the headline numbers

West Chester sits inside Chester County, Pennsylvania, at roughly 39.96°N, -75.61°W. Population 19,842, $78,385 median household income. Median home value $490,700, median rent $1,731. Poverty rate 20.4%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: West Chester's highest-prevalence health measure is short sleep duration at 36.5%. 2 hospitals in/around West Chester, 5/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for West Chester from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
19,842
West Chester
Median Income
$78,385
+15% vs avg
Median Home Value
$490,700
+115% vs avg
Median Age
25.3
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Chester County) - West Chester's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
548K+9%
Median Income
$127,208+48%
Median Home Value
$485,600+49%
Poverty Rate
6%-13%
Unemployment
3.8%-43%

Economics

Economics indicators for West Chester, PA
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,731/mo
Poverty Rate
20.4% +44% vs avg
Unemployment 7%
Bachelor's Degree+ 59.1%
Work From Home 17.2%
Public Transit 1.6%

Population

White 74.7%
African American 14.7%
Asian 2.3%

Health Profile 2 measures

Health Indicators

Short Sleep Duration
36.5%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 56.7%

Hospitals 2 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
1
★★★★
0
★★★
0
★★
0
0
Average Rating
5/5
Total Hospitals
2
With ER
1
CHESTER COUNTY HOSPITAL
WEST CHESTER · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★★

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of West Chester, PA?
West Chester, PA has a population of 19,842 people, located in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
What is the median household income in West Chester?
The median household income in West Chester, PA is $78,385 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 20.4%.
What is the median home value in West Chester?
The median home value in West Chester, PA is $490,700. Median rent is $1,731/month.
What are the top health concerns in West Chester?
The top health indicators in West Chester include Short Sleep Duration (36.5%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in West Chester?
West Chester has 2 hospitals with an average rating of 5/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in West Chester?
The median age in West Chester, PA is 25.3 years. 59.1% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

West Chester, PA is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania. With a population of 20K and a $78,385 median household income, the community faces health challenges including short sleep duration. Residents have access to 2 hospitals with an average rating of 5/5 stars. Safety alerts for the West Chester area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using West Chester's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the West Chester area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare West Chester against Pennsylvania peers on any ranking lens. Explore Pennsylvania

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Chester County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.