PlainZIP

Chester, VA · standard

ZIP Code 23831

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

33,079
530/sq mi
$95,750
Median income
$336,700
Median home value
36.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chester pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 22%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 28%
home value, US ZIPs
530
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 23831 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 23831 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chester, Chesterfield County, Virginia, with 33,079 residents across 62.5 square miles, a density of 530 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 23831 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $95,750 (12% above the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $43,948. Poverty here runs at 6.5%, with unemployment measured at 3.5%. On housing, the median home value is $336,700 (1% above the state average) with median rent at $1,645 per month, and 72.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.9, and the average commute is 28 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 23831, plus 6 more within Chesterfield County, give a clearer read than the 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 23831

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, VA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23831.

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 23831, Chester, VA · 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

33,079

Population

62.5

Area (sq mi)

530

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 23831?

38.9

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

7.1%

Foreign-Born

White 54.0%
African American 27.9%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 13.2%

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?

$95,750

Median Household Income

+12% vs state

$43,948

Per Capita Income

6.5%

Poverty Rate

3.5%

Unemployment Rate

28.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 23831 ranks nationally

Chester, VA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$95,750 Top 22% higher than 78% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 36.9%

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

What does housing look like?

16,003

Total Housing Units

15,432

Occupied Units

571

Vacant Units

2.56

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.1%
Renter 27.9%

$336,700

Median Home Value

+1% vs state

$1,645

Median Rent

1994

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

+4.9%

YoY Change (2024)

265

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+165%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 23831 have increased 4.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +165% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 180
2021 +11.7% 202
2022 +14.7% 231
2023 +9.3% 253
2024 +4.9% 265

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 738 business establishments in ZIP 23831, employing approximately 9,841 people with a combined annual payroll of $370,458,000.

738

Businesses

9,841

Employees

$370.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 113 15.3%
Retail trade 103 14.0%
Construction 90 12.2%
Accommodation and food services 84 11.4%
Other services (except public administration) 77 10.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 56 7.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 45 6.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 6.0%
Finance and insurance 41 5.6%
Transportation and warehousing 26 3.5%
Manufacturing 14 1.9%
Information 14 1.9%
Wholesale trade 10 1.4%
Educational services 9 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 0.9%

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 23831 vs 23237 →

ZIP 23831 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 23831 ranks #5 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 23831 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 23831 ranks #4 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
23237 Richmond, VA 21,192 3.9 mi
23834 Colonial Heights, VA 25,612 4.6 mi
23836 Chester, VA 11,444 5.8 mi
23234 Richmond, VA 42,989 7.5 mi
23806 Virginia State University, VA 2,251 7.6 mi
23803 Petersburg, VA 40,542 9.4 mi
23832 Chesterfield, VA 33,739 8.6 mi
23801 Fort Lee, VA 3,393 9.9 mi
23231 Henrico, VA 34,685 9.8 mi
23236 Richmond, VA 25,822 11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Chesterfield County

23112 standard
Midlothian, VA
Pop: 46,982
23234 standard
Richmond, VA
Pop: 42,989
23832 standard
Chesterfield, VA
Pop: 33,739
23235 standard
Richmond, VA
Pop: 30,165
23236 standard
Richmond, VA
Pop: 25,822
23113 standard
Midlothian, VA
Pop: 23,848

Related Areas

Chesterfield County Chester, VA Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 23831 in? ▼
ZIP code 23831 (Chester) is located in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Chesterfield County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chesterfield-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 23831? ▼
ZIP code 23831 in Chester, VA has a population of 33,079 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 23831? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 23831 is $95,750, which is 26% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 23831? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 23831 is $336,700, which is 21% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 23831? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 23831 is White at 54.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 23831? ▼
ZIP code 23831 has 738 business establishments employing approximately 9,841 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 23831? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 23831 are: Health care and social assistance (113), Retail trade (103), Construction (90). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 23831? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 23831 increased by 4.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 165%. 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 23831? ▼
In ZIP code 23831, 62.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.9% 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 23831? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 23831 is 28.3 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 23831? ▼
In ZIP code 23831, approximately 72.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 23831? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 23831 is 6.5% 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.