Chester is a community in Lake County, South Dakota, home to about 152 people across 0.8 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 57016.
Mostly Brant Lake South; part is in Chester
We’re writing up Chester’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)187 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)25 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Omaha, NE188 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL491 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 257 residents in the 2020 census, down 2% since 2010.
It’s the 261st largest of 440 towns in South Dakota by population.
Lake County grew from 9,137 residents in 1900 to 11,059 in 2020.
Lake County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 7°F. About 26.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 38 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wentworth 2.5 Wnw, SD weather station (8 miles away).
3,907 jobs at 339 businesses in Lake County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Public schools here are run by Chester Area School District 39-1. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Elementary -02Chester | Pre-K–5 | 154 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Chester Middle School - 03Chester | 6–8 | 67 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Chester Area Cyber School - 92Chester | 9–12 | 106 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Chester High School - 01Chester | 9–12 | 107 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| High Plains - 06Chester | 9–12 | 84 | Alternative Education | 2.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Brant Lake South and Brant Lake.
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.