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Buying a home in Chester, New York

The typical owner-occupied home in Chester is worth about $330,200, 22% below the New York median of $423,800 and about the same as the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,940 a year in property taxes, about 2.10% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $100,514 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 50% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Chester at a glance

Chester New York U.S.
Median home value $330,200 $423,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $6,940 $6,582 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.10% 1.55% 0.94%
Median household income $100,514 $85,974 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 50% 54% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 71% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,556 $2,555 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.0% 22.5% 21.0%
Median rent $2,010 $1,621 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 25.2% 31.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1981 1959 1980
Vacant homes 9.5% 10.0% 10.1%
Population 4,033 19,852,366 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Chester

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Chester home of $330,200 with 20% down costs about $2,492 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,043, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $106,819 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Chester household income of $100,514; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $311,000.

The median rent here is $2,010 a month, so owning the median home costs about $482 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$66,040
Loan amount$264,160
Principal and interest$1,777
Property taxes (2.10% a year)$578
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$138
PMI$0
Total per month$2,492

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$11,557
Loan amount$324,219
Principal and interest$2,181
Property taxes (2.10% a year)$578
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$138
FHA mortgage insurance$146
Total per month$3,043

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Questions about home buying in Chester

What is the median home value in Chester?

About $330,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Chester?

Homeowners pay a median $6,940 a year, which is about 2.10% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Chester?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,492 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $106,819 a year.

More about Chester

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