PlainZIP

Chester, VT · standard

ZIP Code 05143

Windsor County, Vermont - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

4,343
18/sq mi
$70,610
Median income
$255,200
Median home value
33.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chester pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

48th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 41%
home value, US ZIPs
18
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 05143 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 05143 covers 245.4 square miles in Chester, Windsor County, Vermont (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,343 residents on file, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 05143 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,610 (15% below the Vermont average), while per-capita income is $44,326. The poverty rate stands at 6.3% and the unemployment rate at 2.5%. Median home value sits at $255,200 (19% below the state average), median rent at $978 a month, and owner-occupancy at 85.8%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Windsor County, so you can benchmark 05143 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 05143

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, VT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 05143.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 05143, Chester, VT · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

4,343

Population

245.4

Area (sq mi)

18

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 05143?

49.0

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 95.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$70,610

Median Household Income

-15% vs state

$44,326

Per Capita Income

6.3%

Poverty Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

27.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 05143 ranks nationally

Chester, VT household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$70,610 48th percentile higher than 48% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 70.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

2,862

Total Housing Units

1,994

Occupied Units

868

Vacant Units

2.39

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.8%
Renter 14.2%

$255,200

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$978

Median Rent

1974

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.5%

YoY Change (2024)

271

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+171%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 05143 have increased 10.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +171% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.3% 166
2021 +9.1% 182
2022 +22.4% 222
2023 +10.2% 245
2024 +10.5% 271

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 141 business establishments in ZIP 05143, employing approximately 719 people with a combined annual payroll of $34,631,000.

141

Businesses

719

Employees

$34.6M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 38 26.9%
Retail trade 19 13.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 9.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 11 7.8%
Other services (except public administration) 9 6.4%
Health care and social assistance 7 5.0%
Manufacturing 6 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 4.3%
Finance and insurance 5 3.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 4 2.8%
Transportation and warehousing 4 2.8%
Educational services 3 2.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 05143 vs 05146 →

ZIP 05143 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05143 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 05143 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 05143 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
05146 Grafton, VT 750 6.5 mi
05153 Proctorsville, VT 687 9.7 mi
05150 North Springfield, VT 831 6.8 mi
05142 Cavendish, VT 680 9.5 mi
05141 Cambridgeport, VT 112 8.7 mi
05149 Ludlow, VT 2,092 8.6 mi
05359 West Townshend, VT 594 9.1 mi
05101 Bellows Falls, VT 4,643 9.4 mi
05154 Saxtons River, VT 661 10.5 mi
05151 Perkinsville, VT 1,553 11.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Windsor County

05156 standard
Springfield, VT
Pop: 9,226
05001 standard
White River Junction, VT
Pop: 9,123
05089 standard
Windsor, VT
Pop: 4,979
05055 standard
Norwich, VT
Pop: 3,363
05091 standard
Woodstock, VT
Pop: 3,288
05068 standard
South Royalton, VT
Pop: 3,125

Related Areas

Windsor County Chester, VT Vermont

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 05143 in? ▼
ZIP code 05143 (Chester) is located in Windsor County, Vermont. Windsor County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/windsor-vt.
What is the population of ZIP code 05143? ▼
ZIP code 05143 in Chester, VT has a population of 4,343 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 05143? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 05143 is $70,610, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 05143? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 05143 is $255,200, which is 8% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 05143? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 05143 is White at 95.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 05143? ▼
ZIP code 05143 has 141 business establishments employing approximately 719 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 05143? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 05143 are: Construction (38), Retail trade (19), Professional, scientific, and technical services (14). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 05143? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 05143 increased by 10.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 171%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 05143? ▼
In ZIP code 05143, 70.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 05143? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 05143 is 27.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 05143? ▼
In ZIP code 05143, approximately 85.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 05143? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 05143 is 6.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.