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 Moderate-density area
- $70,610
- Median income Near-median income area
- $255,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 33.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 05143 (Chester, VT) rose +10.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 244.9 in 2023 to 270.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Vermont ZIP), while per-capita income is $44,326. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.3% and unemployment is 2.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $255,200 (19% below the average Vermont ZIP), and median rent is $978; owner occupancy is 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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Windsor County, so 05143 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Construction
Construction
38 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
19 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 14
Professional, scientific, and technical services
14 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
11 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 11
Accommodation and food services
11 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 05143?
49.0
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
Female
2.3%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$44,326
Per Capita Income
6.3%
Poverty Rate
2.5%
Unemployment Rate
27.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 05143 ranks among Vermont ZIPs
Chester, VT household income vs. every Vermont ZIP code
Median household income among 238 reporting Vermont ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$70,610 29th percentile higher than 29% of 238 Vermont ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Vermont 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,862housing units
2,862
Total Housing Units
1,994
Occupied Units
868
Vacant Units
2.39
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$255,200
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 05101
Bellows Falls (05101)
4,643 residents
- 05143
Chester (05143)
4,343 residents
- 05149
Ludlow (05149)
2,092 residents
- 05151 1,553
Perkinsville (05151)
1,553 residents
- 05150 831
North Springfield (05150)
831 residents
- 05146 750
Grafton (05146)
750 residents
- 05153 687
Proctorsville (05153)
687 residents
- 05142 680
Cavendish (05142)
680 residents
- 05154 661
Saxtons River (05154)
661 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05143 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 05143 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 05151
Perkinsville (05151)
$96,836 median income
- 05153
Proctorsville (05153)
$87,292 median income
- 05142
Cavendish (05142)
$83,833 median income
- 05359
West Townshend (05359)
$80,417 median income
- 05146
Grafton (05146)
$77,500 median income
- 05143
Chester (05143)
$70,610 median income
- 05101
Bellows Falls (05101)
$70,299 median income
- 05150
North Springfield (05150)
$68,108 median income
- 05149
Ludlow (05149)
$64,191 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 05143, both outside VT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,343 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Windsor County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 05143's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 05143 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chester, VT ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.