Chester, California

The town was founded and named by two settlers, one from Chester, Vermont, and another from Chester, Missouri. The Chester post office opened in 1894 and moved in 1908.

Chester is located at {{Coord|40|18|10|N|121|14|5|W|type:city}} (40.302395, -121.234672).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of {{convert|19.1|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. {{convert|18.9|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} of it is land and {{convert|0.2|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} of it (1.10%) is water.

Chester is situated almost directly over the buried north end of the fault-block Sierra NevadaRoadside Geology of Northern California. Alt and Hyndman 1975.Map Page 222 and the southernmost end of the volcanic Cascade Range.

According to the Köppen climate classification, Chester has a transitional Csb/Dsb climate. Winters are cold and very snowy. Summers are dry, with hot days and cold nights.

{{Weather box

|location = Chester, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present

|single line = Y

| collapsed = Y

| width = auto

| Jan record high F = 65

| Feb record high F = 70

| Mar record high F = 77

| Apr record high F = 84

| May record high F = 93

| Jun record high F = 98

| Jul record high F = 104

| Aug record high F = 103

| Sep record high F = 100

| Oct record high F = 90

| Nov record high F = 76

| Dec record high F = 62

| year record high F = 104

| Jan avg record high F = 52.9

| Feb avg record high F = 57.6

| Mar avg record high F = 65.6

| Apr avg record high F = 74.6

| May avg record high F = 82.5

| Jun avg record high F = 90.2

| Jul avg record high F = 95.2

| Aug avg record high F = 94.0

| Sep avg record high F = 89.2

| Oct avg record high F = 80.4

| Nov avg record high F = 65.2

| Dec avg record high F = 51.9

| year avg record high F = 96.3

| Jan high F = 42.2

| Feb high F = 45.6

| Mar high F = 50.5

| Apr high F = 57.1

| May high F = 66.8

| Jun high F = 76.6

| Jul high F = 86.1

| Aug high F = 85.0

| Sep high F = 78.9

| Oct high F = 65.9

| Nov high F = 50.6

| Dec high F = 41.2

| year high F =

| Jan mean F = 32.0

| Feb mean F = 34.3

| Mar mean F = 38.4

| Apr mean F = 43.7

| May mean F = 51.8

| Jun mean F = 59.6

| Jul mean F = 67.1

| Aug mean F = 65.6

| Sep mean F = 59.8

| Oct mean F = 49.5

| Nov mean F = 38.5

| Dec mean F = 31.6

| year mean F =

| Jan low F = 21.8

| Feb low F = 23.0

| Mar low F = 26.3

| Apr low F = 30.2

| May low F = 36.7

| Jun low F = 42.7

| Jul low F = 48.2

| Aug low F = 46.3

| Sep low F = 40.6

| Oct low F = 33.1

| Nov low F = 26.4

| Dec low F = 21.9

| year low F =

| Jan avg record low F = 8.1

| Feb avg record low F = 10.0

| Mar avg record low F = 14.7

| Apr avg record low F = 20.6

| May avg record low F = 27.5

| Jun avg record low F = 32.5

| Jul avg record low F = 39.6

| Aug avg record low F = 38.8

| Sep avg record low F = 31.5

| Oct avg record low F = 24.3

| Nov avg record low F = 15.6

| Dec avg record low F = 8.5

| year avg record low F = 3.3

| Jan record low F = -11

| Feb record low F = -10

| Mar record low F = -3

| Apr record low F = 5

| May record low F = 14

| Jun record low F = 24

| Jul record low F = 27

| Aug record low F = 27

| Sep record low F = 15

| Oct record low F = 12

| Nov record low F = 3

| Dec record low F = -16

| year record low F = -16 | precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 6.18

| Feb precipitation inch = 5.11

| Mar precipitation inch = 5.48

| Apr precipitation inch = 2.51

| May precipitation inch = 1.90

| Jun precipitation inch = 0.77

| Jul precipitation inch = 0.36

| Aug precipitation inch = 0.15

| Sep precipitation inch = 0.31

| Oct precipitation inch = 1.70

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.31

| Dec precipitation inch = 6.54

| year precipitation inch =

| Jan precipitation days = 12.2

| Feb precipitation days = 10.5

| Mar precipitation days = 12.0

| Apr precipitation days = 9.3

| May precipitation days = 7.2

| Jun precipitation days = 3.5

| Jul precipitation days = 1.6

| Aug precipitation days = 1.3

| Sep precipitation days = 2.1

| Oct precipitation days = 5.3

| Nov precipitation days = 8.8

| Dec precipitation days = 11.8

| year precipitation days =

| Jan snow inch = 31.9

| Feb snow inch = 23.9

| Mar snow inch = 17.0

| Apr snow inch = 3.8

| May snow inch = 0.2

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.3

| Nov snow inch = 10.1

| Dec snow inch = 22.4

| year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 5.3

|Feb snow days = 4.0

|Mar snow days = 2.7

|Apr snow days = 1.3

|May snow days = 0.1

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.1

|Nov snow days = 1.9

|Dec snow days = 4.4

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00041700&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access - Station: Chester, CA

|access-date = October 29, 2022

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=sto

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data - NWS Sacramento

|access-date = October 29, 2022

}}

}}

{{US Census population

|2000= 2316

|2010= 2144

|2020= 2187

|align-fn=center

|align= left

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850–1870{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-12.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}{{Cite web|title= 1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1880-1890{{Cite web|title= 1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1890/bulletins/demographics/134-population-of-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1900{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/10-population-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1910{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ca.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1920{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-ca-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1930{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1940{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1950{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-08.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1960{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-06-d.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1970{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ca1-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 1980{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caAB-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
1990{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

2000{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 2010{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

}}

Chester first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. Census.

The 2020 United States census reported that Chester had a population of 2,187. The population density was {{convert|300.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Chester was 87.3% White, 0.1% African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 8.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.0% of the population.{{cite web |title=Chester CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0612930 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

The census reported that 98.9% of the population lived in households, 0.1% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.0% were institutionalized.

There were 1,035 households, out of which 21.1% included children under the age of 18, 43.9% were married-couple households, 6.8% were cohabiting couple households, 25.2% had a female householder with no partner present, and 24.2% had a male householder with no partner present. 35.6% of households were one person, and 17.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.09. There were 606 families (58.6% of all households).{{cite web |title=Chester CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0612930 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

The age distribution was 18.0% under the age of 18, 3.8% aged 18 to 24, 19.1% aged 25 to 44, 29.2% aged 45 to 64, and 29.9% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 53.3{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males.

There were 1,250 housing units at an average density of {{convert|171.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 1,035 (82.8%) were occupied. Of these, 64.7% were owner-occupied, and 35.3% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $80,142, and the per capita income was $46,687. About 0.0% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line.{{cite web |title=Chester CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0612930 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 11, 2025}}

At the 2010 census Chester had a population of 2,144. The population density was {{convert|291.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Chester was 1,954 (91.1%) White, 10 (0.5%) African American, 46 (2.1%) Native American, 21 (1.0%) Asian, 4 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 37 (1.7%) from other races, and 72 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 178 people (8.3%).{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0612930|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031807/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0612930|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Chester CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=July 12, 2014}}

The census reported that 2,131 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12 (0.6%) were institutionalized.

There were 943 households, 249 (26.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 454 (48.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 81 (8.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 46 (4.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 73 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 288 households (30.5%) were one person and 95 (10.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 581 families (61.6% of households); the average family size was 2.81.

The age distribution was 465 people (21.7%) under the age of 18, 154 people (7.2%) aged 18 to 24, 456 people (21.3%) aged 25 to 44, 758 people (35.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 311 people (14.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 44.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.

There were 1,237 housing units at an average density of 167.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 568 (60.2%) were owner-occupied and 375 (39.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 15.7%. 1,317 people (61.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 814 people (38.0%) lived in rental housing units.

Image:ChesterCAMuseum.jpg

Chester is near several areas of interest for outdoor activities, within a 50-mile radius the town has numerous CDF and USFS trails and campgrounds, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Drakesbad and Lake Almanor are other areas of interest for vacationers and tourists with outdoor hobbies. The Boy Scouts of America's Nevada Area Council also operates Camp Fleischmann in the region.

Lake Almanor is a popular hunting, fishing and boating destination. The lake is home for a variety of fish and bird species, many of which make for good sport and game. Chester and the greater Lake Almanor area are home to many seasonal and year-round resorts and restaurants that cater to the locals and the summer seasonal tourists. The winter tourism tends to be quieter, the town is often a way point for people traveling to ski resorts at Mount Shasta and Lake Tahoe.

The primary industries in Chester are lumber production and tourism. Collins Pine (a division of The Collins Companies) has been in operation since the 1940s under a "sustained yield" management plan using selective harvesting. The company's forest management practices have been certified as FSC sustainable by Scientific Certification Systems, which designated it a "state-of-the-art well-managed forest." {{Citation needed|reason=No source?|date=November 2013}} Collins no longer maintains the distinction of Chester's dominant employer, though it remains the single business with the most employees. {{Citation needed|reason=No source?|date=November 2013}}

Other logging companies operating in the area are Roseburg Forest Products, and Sierra Pacific Industries. Clear cutting is performed in the area.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!data=!1m4!1m3!1d81178!2d-121.2832168!3d40.2719628!2m1!1e3&fid=7|title=Google Maps}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!data=!1m4!1m3!1d162454!2d-121.4564231!3d40.2310863!2m1!1e3&fid=7|title = Google Maps}}

Lake Almanor has developed as a vacation/tourist destination and Chester serves as the retail center for the area. All of the Almanor basin's four gas stations are located in Chester, as well as the Almanor basin's only full-sized grocery store.

In the state legislature, Chester is in {{Representative|casd|1|fmt=sdistrict}},{{Cite web |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators |title=Senators |accessdate=March 10, 2013 |publisher=State of California}} and {{Representative|caad|1|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |accessdate=March 2, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}

Federally, Chester is in {{Representative|cacd|1|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|1|accessdate=March 3, 2013}}

The school district is Plumas Unified School District.{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06063_plumas/DC20SD_C06063.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Plumas County, CA|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date= December 18, 2020|access-date=2025-03-22}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06063_plumas/DC20SD_C06063_SD2MS.txt Text list] Chester Elementary School, Chester Junior Senior High School, and Almanor High School (continuation) are part of Plumas USD, based in Quincy.

The Chester Learning Center is a private charter school. It is accredited K-12 by the WASC, Western Association of Schools and Colleges and managed by the Plumas Charter School system.

• Chuck Norris (born 1940), American actor whose wife Gena Norris was born in Chester. They have a vacation home in Chester.
• Tony Miller (born 1948), former California Secretary of State
• Marie Mason Potts (1895–1978), Mountain Maidu Native American journalist and activist; born in Big Meadows{{Cite web |last=Castaneda |first=Terri |last2=Wilkinson |first2=Richenda |date=March 23, 2003 |title=The Marie Mason Potts Collection |url=http://www.dqu.cc.ca.us/library/potts.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026140626/http://www.dqu.cc.ca.us/library/potts.html |archive-date=October 26, 2005 |website=D-Q University}}

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{{Plumas County, California}}

{{Sierra Nevada}}

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Category:Company towns in California

Category:Census-designated places in Plumas County, California

Category:Populated places established in 1894

Category:Census-designated places in California