Chester: Housing & Real Estate
The median Chester home is valued at $487,400 (estimated market value runs 7% higher at $523,160), with median rent $1,878 (1.2× higher than Queen Anne's County median $1,600; 1.2× higher than Maryland median $1,612). Homeownership rate: 71.1%. That's 1.2× higher than the Queen Anne's County median ($421,900); 1.2× higher than the Maryland median ($392,037). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 19.3%. New construction makes up 21.8% of stock. 1 nursing facility on file. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 4.8× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Maryland 3.8×).
- 21.6 years to break even renting at the median (vs Maryland 20y).
- 4-BR rent is 1.9× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $487,400 — 1.2× the Maryland median ($392,037). Median rent $1,878/month. homeownership rate 71.1% — above the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Home Price To Income | 4.8× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Home Affordability | moderate |
| Affordability · Rent Pct Income | 21.7% |
| Affordability · Rent Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Pct Severely Rent Burdened | 46.0% |
| Affordability · Poverty Rate | 8.1% |
| Affordability · Property Tax Pct Income | 3.8% |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $1,362 |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $1,511 |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $1,857 |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $2,358 |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $2,611 |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $523,160 |
| Median Home Value | $487,400 (vs Maryland $392,037) |
| Median Rent | $1,878 (vs Maryland $1,612) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 19.3% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 21.8% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | 10.5% |
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Systems (2)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 59.6% |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 3,400 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 17.86¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 2,451,753 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $4,880 |
| Electricity · Year | 2024 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0% |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 100% |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 98% |
| Mobile Home Parks Detail · County total | 1 |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · HIFLD / IRS BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Charging & Mobility
| Ev Charging · Stations | 1 |
|---|---|
| Ev Charging · Public Stations | 1 |
| Ev Charging · L2 Ports | 3 |
Sources: DOE AFDC API
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1993 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12