Chester, WV · standard
ZIP Code 26034
Hancock County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,905
- 125/sq mi High-density area
- $56,556
- Median income Below-median income area
- $138,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 22nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 125
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26034 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 26034 covers 39.2 square miles in Chester, Hancock County, West Virginia (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,905 residents on file, a density of 125 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 26034 reports a modest median household income of $56,556 (2% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,313. The poverty rate is 16.8%, with unemployment at 6.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $138,400 (0% above the average West Virginia ZIP) and median rent is $785; 76.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.3, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Hancock County, so 26034 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 26034
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, WV
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26034.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
16 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
13 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
12 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 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 26034, Chester, WV · 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
4,905
Population
39.2
Area (sq mi)
125
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 26034?
44.3
Median Age
46.9%
Male
53.1%
Female
0.0%
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?
$56,556
Median Household Income
-2% vs state ZIP avg
$31,313
Per Capita Income
16.8%
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Unemployment Rate
27.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 26034 ranks among West Virginia ZIPs
Chester, WV household income vs. every West Virginia ZIP code
Median household income among 539 reporting West Virginia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$56,556 Top 47% higher than 53% of 539 West Virginia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more West Virginia 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
2,467housing units
2,467
Total Housing Units
2,217
Occupied Units
250
Vacant Units
2.08
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$138,400
Median Home Value
+0% vs state ZIP avg
$785
Median Rent
1956
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 97 business establishments in ZIP 26034, employing approximately 956 people with a combined annual payroll of $36,803,000.
97
Businesses
956
Employees
$36.8M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 20.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 16 | 16.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13 | 13.4% |
| Retail trade | 12 | 12.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 6.2% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 5.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 5.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 5.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 5.2% |
| Construction | 3 | 3.1% |
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 26034 vs 26050 →
ZIP 26034 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 43920
East Liverpool (43920)
23,438 residents
- 26047 6,222
New Cumberland (26047)
6,222 residents
- 26034 4,905
Chester (26034)
4,905 residents
- 15059 4,193
Midland (15059)
4,193 residents
- 15043 2,458
Georgetown (15043)
2,458 residents
- 15050 2,431
Hookstown (15050)
2,431 residents
- 26050 1,575
Newell (26050)
1,575 residents
- 43961 294
Stratton (43961)
294 residents
- 43926 285
Empire (43926)
285 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 26034 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 26034 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15050
Hookstown (15050)
$91,406 median income
- 15043
Georgetown (15043)
$87,672 median income
- 15059
Midland (15059)
$66,231 median income
- 15077
Shippingport (15077)
$64,583 median income
- 26047
New Cumberland (26047)
$58,641 median income
- 26034
Chester (26034)
$56,556 median income
- 26056
New Manchester (26056)
$54,286 median income
- 43920
East Liverpool (43920)
$50,251 median income
- 26050
Newell (26050)
$50,139 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 26034 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26050 | Newell, WV | 1,575 | 3.9 mi |
| 26056 | New Manchester, WV | 93 | 4.5 mi |
| 26047 | New Cumberland, WV | 6,222 | 4.6 mi |
| 15043 | Georgetown, PA | 2,458 | 4.3 mi |
| 43920 | East Liverpool, OH | 23,438 | 6.1 mi |
| 15050 | Hookstown, PA | 2,431 | 6.4 mi |
| 43961 | Stratton, OH | 294 | 6.2 mi |
| 15059 | Midland, PA | 4,193 | 6.7 mi |
| 43926 | Empire, OH | 285 | 6.9 mi |
| 15077 | Shippingport, PA | 198 | 7.2 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 26034, both outside WV so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,905 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Hancock County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 26034 in?
ZIP code 26034 (Chester) is located in Hancock County, West Virginia. Hancock County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hancock-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26034?
ZIP code 26034 in Chester, WV has a population of 4,905 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26034?
The median household income in ZIP 26034 is $56,556, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26034?
The median home value in ZIP 26034 is $138,400, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26034?
The largest racial group in ZIP 26034 is White at 96.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26034?
ZIP code 26034 has 97 business establishments employing approximately 956 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26034?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26034 are: Other services (except public administration) (20), Accommodation and food services (16), Professional, scientific, and technical services (13). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26034?
In ZIP code 26034, 66.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.0% 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 26034?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 26034 is 27.8 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 26034?
In ZIP code 26034, approximately 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26034?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26034 is 16.8% 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 26034's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 26034 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chester, WV 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.