States › Illinois › Chester

Is Chester, IL expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 12 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$84052% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$86,954about $7,246/month · same as U.S. average
🔑 House price$111,70066% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $33,600 a year. That is $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Illinois cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Illinois. It is number 21 of 334 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Chester
$840
Litchfield
$908
Mount Carmel
$937
Calumet Park
$1,424
Murphysboro
$744
Benton
$1,308
Orland Hills
$1,503

How much do households earn in Chester?

Under $25k
15.9%
$25k–50k
19.9%
$50k–100k
37.3%
$100k–150k
21.1%
$150k+
3.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 24.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Chester

SizeChesterU.S. average
1 bedroom$581$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,109$1,509
3 bedrooms$871$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Chester overall?

Everyday prices in Illinois overall are same as the U.S. average (index 100.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
94
Goods (food, clothes…)
104
Utilities
85
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Chester, so the Illinois figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Chester

🏛️ Property tax$1,807a year · 1.62% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$171a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Chester

Commute to work20 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree10.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home74%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chester?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $65 a month less than renting.

Renting
$840
Owning
$775

Owning assumes a typical $111,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $11,170 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Chester, IL?

Renting in Chester costs a median of about $840 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Illinois median is $1,517.

How much do I need to make to live in Chester?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $33,600 a year, or $16 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Chester cheap or expensive?

Chester is rated Cheap: rent takes 11.6% of the typical household income of $86,954. It ranks 21st cheapest of 334 Illinois cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Chester?

The median homeowner in Chester pays $1,807 a year in property taxes, about 1.62% of the median home value.

Is Chester more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Illinois are same as the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Chester?

The median home value in Chester is $111,700, about 1.3 times the typical yearly household income.

6,797 people live in Chester. Numbers are typical (middle) values.