Chester is a community in Chesterfield County, Virginia, home to about 24,474 people across 13 square miles. Its ZIP code is 23831, and parts of 23237 are in Chester too.
Homes sold for a median of $207 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Chester
Mostly Bellwood; part is in Chester
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.
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| Nearest major airport | Richmond International Airport (RIC)12 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Chesapeake, VA77 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA221 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 23,414 residents in the 2020 census, up 31% since 2000.
It’s the 49th largest of 669 towns in Virginia by population.
Chesterfield County grew from 18,804 residents in 1900 to 364,548 in 2020.
Chesterfield County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 28°F. About 47 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Petersburg, VA weather station (7 miles away).
124,728 jobs at 8,257 businesses in Chesterfield County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
296 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Chester.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 25 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 17 |
| Dentists | 58 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 51 |
| Mental health providers | 66 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 63 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 11 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
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 (8 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 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.
Established in 1749.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Chesterfield County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.C. Wells ElementaryChester | Pre-K–5 | 606 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| C.E. Curtis ElementaryChester | Pre-K–5 | 767 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Chester Early Childhood Learning AcademyChester | Pre-K | 326 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Ecoff ElementaryChester | Pre-K–5 | 764 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Harrowgate ElementaryChester | Pre-K–5 | 486 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Carver MiddleChester | 6–8 | 970 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Carver College and Career AcademyChester | 9–12 | 272 | Alternative Education | 3.0 mi |
| Thomas Dale HighChester | 9–12 | 2,582 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primrose at Ironbridge CornerChester | Pre-K–K | 9 | Nonsectarian | 4.4 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Bellwood, Meadowbrook and Bensley.
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.