Chester is a city in Chester County, South Carolina, home to about 5,218 people across 3.3 square miles. Its ZIP code is 29706.
Homes sold for a median of $163 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Chester; also Eureka Mill and Gayle Mill
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Chester. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Chester’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Chester well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)38 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC41 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA495 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Chester; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Chester had 5,269 residents in the 2020 census, down 19% since 2000.
It’s the 101st largest of 474 towns in South Carolina by population.
Chester County grew from 28,616 residents in 1900 to 32,294 in 2020.
Chester County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 46 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Chester 1 Se, SC weather station (2 miles away).
8,824 jobs at 560 businesses in Chester County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
64 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Chester.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 9 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 8 |
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 9 |
| Mental health providers | 24 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 3 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Chester 01. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Park Elementary School for the ArtsChester | Pre-K–5 | 331 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Chester Park Elementary School of Literacy and TechnologyChester | Pre-K–5 | 300 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Chester Park School Elementary of InquiryChester | Pre-K–5 | 355 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Academy for Teaching and LearningChester | K–8 | 329 | Charter | 1.2 mi |
| Chester MiddleChester | 6–8 | 479 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Chester County Career CenterChester | 9–12 | — | Career and Technical | 2.0 mi |
| Chester Senior HighChester | 9–12 | 699 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne Christian AcademyChester | K–12 | 86 | Baptist | 1.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Chester? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Eureka Mill, Gayle Mill and Lowrys.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.