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 High-density area
- $95,750
- Median income Above-median income area
- $336,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 36.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 23831 (Chester, VA) rose +4.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 252.6 in 2023 to 265.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $43,948. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.5% and unemployment is 3.5%. Median home value is $336,700 (1% above the average Virginia ZIP) and median rent is $1,645; 72.1% of occupied homes 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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Chesterfield County, so 23831 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 23831
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, VA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23831.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
113 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
103 establishments
- Construction
Construction
90 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
84 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
77 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 23831?
38.9
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
7.1%
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?
$95,750
Median Household Income
+12% vs state ZIP avg
$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
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
16,003housing units
16,003
Total Housing Units
15,432
Occupied Units
571
Vacant Units
2.56
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$336,700
Median Home Value
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 23234
Richmond (23234)
42,989 residents
- 23803
Petersburg (23803)
40,542 residents
- 23231
Henrico (23231)
34,685 residents
- 23832
Chesterfield (23832)
33,739 residents
- 23831
Chester (23831)
33,079 residents
- 23236
Richmond (23236)
25,822 residents
- 23834
Colonial Heights (23834)
25,612 residents
- 23237
Richmond (23237)
21,192 residents
- 23836 11,444
Chester (23836)
11,444 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 23831 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 23831 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 23832
Chesterfield (23832)
$111,684 median income
- 23236
Richmond (23236)
$110,499 median income
- 23836
Chester (23836)
$100,921 median income
- 23831
Chester (23831)
$95,750 median income
- 23834
Colonial Heights (23834)
$84,338 median income
- 23801
Fort Lee (23801)
$82,563 median income
- 23237
Richmond (23237)
$79,606 median income
- 23231
Henrico (23231)
$76,505 median income
- 23234
Richmond (23234)
$66,619 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 23831, both outside VA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (33,079 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Chesterfield County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 23831's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 23831 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chester, VA 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.