Chester, SC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Chester, SC Summary

Cost of living in Chester research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chester is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Chester is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chester is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Chester ranks as the #3 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.

  • Chester ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chester is $126,795.

  • The median income in Chester is $41,231.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Chester's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chester, SC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chester has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to South Carolina, Chester has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than South Carolina's index of 93.

The standard of living in Chester ranks as #3 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Chester ranks as the #96 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.

For more reading on life in Chester, check out:

3 out of 99
In South Carolina
406 out of 6,489
In America

Chester Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chester. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Chester is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Chester is 99.

  • The Health index in Chester is 109.

  • The Housing index in Chester is 45.

  • The Transportation index in Chester is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Chester is 87.

Living Expense Chester South Carolina National Average
Overall 84 93 100
Services 103 102 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 109 92 100
Housing 45 81 100
Transportation 96 92 100
Utilities 87 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around South Carolina, check out:
Chester Cost of Living Vs. SC

Chester, SC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chester is $126,795.

  • The Median Rent in Chester is $905.

  • The Median Income in Chester is $41,231.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chester is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chester is 0.26x.

Statistic Chester South Carolina United States
Median Home Value $126,795 $302,294 $303,400
Median Rent $905 $1,126 $1,348
Median Income $41,231 $66,818 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.1x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.21x
$126,795
Median Home Value
$905
Median Rent
$41,231
Median Income

Chester, SC Costs By Category

Detailed Chester Services Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Chester South Carolina
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $13.55 $12.13
Bowling $21.67 $18
Haircut $18.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $59.75 $45.56

Detailed Chester Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Chester South Carolina
Ground Beef $6.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $10.96 $12.09
Beer $10.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7

Detailed Chester Health Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Chester South Carolina
Optometrist $143.74 $125.68
Doctor $148.29 $135.78
Dentist $115.52 $113.29

Detailed Chester Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Chester South Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.32 $59.92

Detailed Chester Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Chester South Carolina
All Electricity $167.89 $193.99
Phone $189.9 $192.25

Chester SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
3
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chester

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chester. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Charlotte, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 1.3x Chester.

  • Indian Trail, NC has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Chester.

  • Matthews, NC has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Chester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chester
Charlotte, NC 886,283 110 1.3x
Indian Trail, NC 41,146 113 1.3x
Matthews, NC 29,959 113 1.3x
Mint Hill, NC 26,954 112 1.3x
Lexington, SC 24,132 102 1.2x
Stallings, NC 16,495 115 1.4x
Weddington, NC 13,468 148 1.8x
Wesley Chapel, NC 8,923 127 1.5x
Unionville, NC 6,826 104 1.2x
Marvin, NC 6,542 180 2.1x

Articles About South Carolina

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