PlainZIP

Chester, VA · standard

ZIP Code 23836

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

11,444
174/sq mi
$100,921
Median income
$356,400
Median home value
38.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chester pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 18%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 25%
home value, US ZIPs
174
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 23836 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 23836 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chester, Chesterfield County, Virginia, home to 11,444 residents across 65.8 square miles, a density of 174 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 23836 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $100,921 (18% above the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $48,289. 4.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.8%. The typical home here is valued at $356,400 (7% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,674 monthly, and 75.5% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Chesterfield County, letting you compare 23836 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 23836

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, VA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23836.

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 23836, 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

11,444

Population

65.8

Area (sq mi)

174

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 23836?

38.8

Median Age

52.0%

Male

48.0%

Female

8.9%

Foreign-Born

White 50.7%
African American 28.7%
Asian 4.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%

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?

$100,921

Median Household Income

+18% vs state

$48,289

Per Capita Income

4.3%

Poverty Rate

3.8%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 23836 ranks nationally

Chester, VA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$100,921 Top 18% higher than 82% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 65.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.1%

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

What does housing look like?

5,704

Total Housing Units

5,566

Occupied Units

138

Vacant Units

2.75

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.5%
Renter 24.5%

$356,400

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$1,674

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

+1.9%

YoY Change (2024)

255

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+155%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 23836 have increased 1.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.7% 179
2021 +10.9% 198
2022 +14.3% 226
2023 +10.7% 251
2024 +1.9% 255

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 366 business establishments in ZIP 23836, employing approximately 14,675 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,143,798,000.

366

Businesses

14,675

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 38 10.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 38 10.4%
Accommodation and food services 37 10.1%
Retail trade 36 9.8%
Wholesale trade 30 8.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 30 8.2%
Transportation and warehousing 29 7.9%
Other services (except public administration) 27 7.4%
Health care and social assistance 25 6.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 23 6.3%
Manufacturing 19 5.2%
Finance and insurance 12 3.3%
Utilities 10 2.7%
Educational services 4 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.8%

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 23836 vs 23831 →

ZIP 23836 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 23836 ranks #8 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 23836 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 23836 ranks the highest 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
23831 Chester, VA 33,079 5.8 mi
23834 Colonial Heights, VA 25,612 5.0 mi
23801 Fort Lee, VA 3,393 7.5 mi
23231 Henrico, VA 34,685 6.8 mi
23237 Richmond, VA 21,192 7.1 mi
23806 Virginia State University, VA 2,251 8.3 mi
23860 Hopewell, VA 31,970 8.3 mi
23875 Prince George, VA 10,878 9.2 mi
23234 Richmond, VA 42,989 10.1 mi
23803 Petersburg, VA 40,542 11.8 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
23831 standard
Chester, VA
Pop: 33,079
23235 standard
Richmond, VA
Pop: 30,165
23236 standard
Richmond, VA
Pop: 25,822

Related Areas

Chesterfield County Chester, VA Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 23836 in? ▼
ZIP code 23836 (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 23836? ▼
ZIP code 23836 in Chester, VA has a population of 11,444 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 23836? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 23836 is $100,921, which is 32% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 23836? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 23836 is $356,400, which is 28% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 23836? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 23836 is White at 50.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 23836? ▼
ZIP code 23836 has 366 business establishments employing approximately 14,675 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 23836? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 23836 are: Construction (38), Professional, scientific, and technical services (38), Accommodation and food services (37). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 23836? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 23836 increased by 1.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 155%. 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 23836? ▼
In ZIP code 23836, 65.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.1% 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 23836? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 23836 is 24.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 23836? ▼
In ZIP code 23836, approximately 75.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 23836? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 23836 is 4.3% 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.