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Chester

Chester

Located in Orange County

$537,165 Average Value
$268 Average Price per Sq Ft
1 Home For Sale

The rural town of Chester birthed Philadelphia cream cheese

The town of Chester began as a dairy farming village in the early 19th century and is now known as an expansive, park-heavy rural community just minutes away from Hudson Valley attractions and retail centers in neighboring Woodbury. There are options for small-town single-family homes, as well as larger farmhouses on multi-acre lots. “People like the location on Route 17, a major artery, and home prices are a little lower compared to towns like Monroe and other places in the county,” says Chris Staritz, an associate broker with Howard Hanna Rand Realty with 13 years of experience. Chester’s history in the dairy industry has left a global impact, as the town is also known as the birthplace of world-famous Philadelphia-style cream cheese.

Originally a dairy farming village in the early 19th century, Chester has evolved into a scenic, park-filled rural town with convenient access to Hudson Valley attractions.
Originally a dairy farming village in the early 19th century, Chester has evolved into a scenic, park-filled rural town with convenient access to Hudson Valley attractions.
Chester’s dairy legacy has made it recognized as the birthplace of the world-famous Philadelphia-style cream cheese and the town still hosts a variety of farms.
Chester’s dairy legacy has made it recognized as the birthplace of the world-famous Philadelphia-style cream cheese and the town still hosts a variety of farms.
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Diverse options for recreation in Chester

The family-friendly Castle Fun Center is an amusement park within Chester. It features carnival rides, a mini golf course, a go-kart track, an indoor roller-skating rink and an arcade. Carpenter Community Park is the town’s central green space, with a playground, picnic pavilion, basketball and bocce courts, and a baseball field that regularly hosts Chester Little League tournaments. Carpenter Park is steps away from the Jarvis Boone Memorial Amphitheater, where locals can bring chairs and watch live outdoor performances. Goosepond Mountain State Park stretches 1,500 acres in Chester and has three miles of trails for hiking or horseback riding across mountainsides and wetlands. The paved Orange Heritage Trail runs almost 20 miles through the county and is accessible from Chester’s Erie Depot, a historic train station that is now a museum.

Chester offers a variety of recreational attractions for families, such as the Castle Fun Center and its popular go-kart track.
Chester offers a variety of recreational attractions for families, such as the Castle Fun Center and its popular go-kart track.
At the heart of town, Carpenter Community Park serves as Chester’s central green space and regularly hosts Chester Little League games.
At the heart of town, Carpenter Community Park serves as Chester’s central green space and regularly hosts Chester Little League games.
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Hudson Valley attractions close to home

Legoland is five miles west of Chester in the neighboring town of Goshen. This regional attraction hosts seven theme parks and an immersive resort-style hotel. Capelli Sports Complex is a new athletic center in town, with soccer fields, baseball and softball diamonds, and indoor courts for volleyball, pickleball or basketball. The Chester Erie Depot is a museum and historic landmark in town. In the early 1840s, it served as a commercial station where dairy farmers would ship their fresh milk to New York City. Today, the rail bed has been converted into the Orange Heritage Trail.

Just five miles west of Chester, Legoland New York is a major regional attraction featuring seven themed lands and an immersive resort-style hotel.
Just five miles west of Chester, Legoland New York is a major regional attraction featuring seven themed lands and an immersive resort-style hotel.
The Chester Erie Depot, originally a bustling commercial station in the 1840s, is now a museum and historic landmark.
The Chester Erie Depot, originally a bustling commercial station in the 1840s, is now a museum and historic landmark.
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Local Chester markets and outlet shopping in Woodbury

At Chester Mall, locals can head to ShopRite for groceries or catch the latest hit movies at Flagship Premium Cinemas. There’s also the Chester Agricultural Center, providing farm-fresh produce from a network of regional farms. Rustic Wheelhouse Restaurant is a popular local spot for Italian food, from brick-oven margarita pizzas to parmesan-crusted cod and homemade pasta dishes. A 9-mile drive east leads to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, with 250 name-brand retailers, including Old Navy, Nike and Calvin Klein.

For locally sourced food, the Chester Agricultural Center offers farm-fresh produce from a collective of regional farms, supporting sustainable agriculture and healthy living.
For locally sourced food, the Chester Agricultural Center offers farm-fresh produce from a collective of regional farms, supporting sustainable agriculture and healthy living.
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets is just a 9-mile drive east, featuring 250 name-brand retailers, including Old Navy, Nike, and Calvin Klein.
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets is just a 9-mile drive east, featuring 250 name-brand retailers, including Old Navy, Nike, and Calvin Klein.
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Small-town homes and a significant land market

Most homes were built from the 1960s through the early 2000s, ranging from $400,000 to $1 million, varying by age, square footage and lot size. “There are a lot of older homes, [usually] on the small side, not big homes like in Goshen and Warwick,” says Staritz. “There’s also a substantial condo complex, and a lot of the commuters around town live there. Within the village of Chester are brick ranch-style homes and midcentury split-levels and bilevels along organized, suburban streets with moderate tree cover. Larger contemporary and Craftsman-style homes and Colonial Revivals sit on 1-acre lots or more outside the town. Undeveloped multi-acre lots are available from $50,000 to $500,000. The Windridge Mews condo subdivision is in the southeast corner of Chester. The condos often have two to three bedrooms.

Large contemporary homes are often found on spacious one-acre lots amid rolling farmland in Chester.
Large contemporary homes are often found on spacious one-acre lots amid rolling farmland in Chester.
Anyone looking for a midcentury split-level home will find plenty of options in Chester.
Anyone looking for a midcentury split-level home will find plenty of options in Chester.
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After school activities for Chester schoolchildren

The Chester Union Free School District serves the town for education. Students can attend Chester Elementary, rated a B on Niche, and Chester Academy, rated a B-minus, which teaches grades 6 through 12. Chester Elementary offers the Healthy Kids Before and After School Program, engaging students with activities such as social games, yoga, reading and STEM workshops.

Chester Elementary School holds a B rating on Niche.
Chester Elementary School holds a B rating on Niche.
Students from Chester finish their education at Chester Academy, which serves grades 6–12 and is rated B-minus by Niche.
Students from Chester finish their education at Chester Academy, which serves grades 6–12 and is rated B-minus by Niche.
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Newark and New York City are an hour and a half away

Commuters can take Interstate 87 just 62 miles south to reach New York City or Newark in an hour and a half. Coach USA buses stop along Brookside Avenue for commuter access around the Hudson Valley.

Maxwell Olarinde
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
Jerome Strauss
Photography Contributed By
Jerome Strauss
Christian Gortler
Video By
Christian Gortler

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Jennifer DiCostanzo, an experienced agent in this area.

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Chester Housing Trends

Housing Trends

Median List Price
$574,900
Median Sale Price
$565,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$565,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$345,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
13%
Last 12 months Home Sales
37
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-26%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$268

Neighborhood Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
3,503
Number of Homes for Sale
1
Median Year Built
1985
Months of Supply
0.30
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,189
Above the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,259
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,385
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
866
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
27,007

Open Houses

  • 16 Lori Ln, Chester, NY 10918

    $1,199,900

    • 4 Beds
    • 5 Baths
    • 4,624 Sq Ft
    • 16 Lori Ln

    Indulge in luxury living at this resort-style residence in Chester, NY, within the prestigious Monroe Woodbury School District. Set on a tranquil cul-de-sac, this home graces one of MW Schools' most beautiful streets. Crafted with precision by Paul Janus Building Arts, custom millwork, arched windows, and detailed moldings evoke the charm of Westchester and Bergen County homes. From the

    Agent Photo
    Randolph Rogers
    eXp Realty
    (845) 681-2264
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  • L17 Vanderwalker Rd, Chester, NY 12817

    $49,000

    • L17 Vanderwalker Rd
    • New 5 days ago

    Nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks, this peaceful 4-acre parcel offers a rare opportunity to own your own private slice of nature. The property features a quiet, wooded setting - ideal for a future homesite or a recreational getaway. A large existing shed structure on-site provides immediate utility for storage or workspace. Conveniently located just minutes from downtown Chestertown, Loon

    Agent Photo
    Zachary Layton
    Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty
    (518) 608-2854
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  • Sunday, Aug 3
    Open Sun 1PM - 4PM

    391 Bull Mill Rd, Chester, NY 10918

    $564,000

    • 3 Beds
    • 2 Baths
    • 1,800 Sq Ft
    • 391 Bull Mill Rd
    • New 21 days ago

    Welcome home to this storybook setting, where a majestic weeping cherry blossom greets you with it's graceful cascade of blossoms each spring. This beautifully preserved historical farmhouse set on 1.7 acres along a scenic country road just down the lane from a local farm where the soft "mooing" adds to the peaceful rural charm. Sitting pretty on a corner lot with a circular driveway, this home

    Agent Photo
    Alexandra Zinko
    Century 21 Realty Center
    (845) 412-9860
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Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Average Home Value





Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

Chester Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
12,351
Median Age
41
Population Density
2 ppl/acre
Population under 18
24%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
18.3%
On par with the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$131,149
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$137,158

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
94%
College Graduates
39%
On par with the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
16.6%
% Population in Labor Force
70.8%
Above the national average
65.1%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
41''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
33''

Area Factors

Somewhat Bikeable

Bike Score®®

12 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®®

17 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
Chester