Chester, CA · standard
ZIP Code 96020
Plumas County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,416
- 23/sq mi
- $50,489
- Median income
- $350,200
- Median home value
- 29.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Chester pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 15th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 26%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 96020 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 96020 covers 103.7 square miles in Chester, Plumas County, California (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,416 residents on file, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 96020 reports a modest median household income of $50,489 (50% below the California average), while per-capita income is $55,482. Poverty here runs at 12.2%, with unemployment measured at 3.2%. Housing costs here run $350,200 for a typical home value (55% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,130 a month; 71.6% of homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.4, and the average commute is -. The state and national benchmarks above give 96020's numbers context; they should not be read in isolation.
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 96020
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chester, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 96020.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
22 establishments
- Construction
Construction
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 8
Other services (except public administration)
8 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 96020, Chester, CA · 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
2,416
Population
103.7
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 96020?
63.4
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
0.2%
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?
$50,489
Median Household Income
-50% vs state
$55,482
Per Capita Income
12.2%
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 96020 ranks nationally
Chester, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$50,489 15th percentile higher than 15% 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?
1,983
Total Housing Units
1,119
Occupied Units
864
Vacant Units
1.97
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$350,200
Median Home Value
-55% vs state
$1,130
Median Rent
1983
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 103 business establishments in ZIP 96020, employing approximately 652 people with a combined annual payroll of $37,371,000.
103
Businesses
652
Employees
$37.4M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 22 | 21.4% |
| Construction | 20 | 19.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 16 | 15.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 7.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 5.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 4.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 2.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
More ZIP Codes in Plumas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 96020 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 96020? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 96020? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 96020? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 96020? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 96020? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 96020? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 96020? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 96020? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 96020? ▼
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.