The typical owner-occupied home in Chester County is worth about $158,300, 39% below the South Carolina median of $259,000 and 52% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $890 a year in property taxes, about 0.56% of their home's value, higher than the South Carolina rate of 0.48%. The median household earns $52,458 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.7 times for South Carolina). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 43% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Chester County at a glance
| Chester County | South Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,300 | $259,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $890 | $1,251 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.56% | 0.48% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,458 | $69,324 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 78% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 43% | 57% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,156 | $1,529 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.7% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $853 | $1,180 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 27.8% | 31.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1980 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 11.1% | 13.3% | 10.1% |
| People below the poverty line | 18.7% | 14.1% | 12.5% |
| Population | 32,182 | 5,296,225 | 334,922,499 |
Household budgets and debt in Chester County
In Chester County, the typical owner with a mortgage spends 20.7% of household income on housing and the typical renter spends 27.8%. Above 30% is generally considered cost-burdened, which leaves less room for other debts.
18.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line, compared with 14.1% in South Carolina.
If debts are getting hard to manage, the usual options, from mildest to most serious, are: a budget and a call to your lenders to ask for a hardship plan; a debt management plan through a nonprofit credit counselor, which can lower interest rates; a debt consolidation loan or, for homeowners, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan; debt settlement, where a company negotiates to pay less than you owe; and bankruptcy.
Under the Federal Trade Commission's rules, debt settlement companies can't charge a fee until they have settled at least one of your debts. Settling can hurt your credit and forgiven debt may be taxable, so compare it with credit counseling first. Time limits for collectors to sue differ by state and by type of debt; check with your state attorney general or a lawyer before relying on one.
Homeowners can sometimes pay off high-interest debt with their home's equity. With the median Chester County home worth $158,300 and 57% of owners mortgage-free, many owners have equity to draw on, but it turns unsecured debt into debt secured by your home.
Questions about debt relief in Chester County
What is the median home value in Chester County?
About $158,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Chester County?
Homeowners pay a median $890 a year, which is about 0.56% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
How much of their income do Chester County households spend on housing?
With a median household income of $52,458, owners with a mortgage spend a median 20.7% on housing and renters 27.8%.
More about Chester County
- Mortgage Refinance in Chester County
- Home Buying in Chester County
- Home Equity Loans in Chester County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data