Townapedia
Chester rush hour
Chester rush hour · Veloocodger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chester Airport Fuelwood (55365376670)
Chester Airport Fuelwood (55365376670) · blmcalifornia, Public domain
Chester, California
Chester, California · Taras Bobrovytsky, CC0
Migratory Waterfowl on Lake Almanor (3617082843)
Migratory Waterfowl on Lake Almanor (3617082843) · Pacific Southwest Region 5, Public domain
Plumas County, CA, USA - panoramio (8)
Plumas County, CA, USA - panoramio (8) · Janusz Cimoszuk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Plumas County, CA, USA - panoramio (7)
Plumas County, CA, USA - panoramio (7) · Janusz Cimoszuk, CC BY-SA 3.0

Chester, California

Chester is a community of 1,759 people in Plumas County, California.

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Population1,759 -18.0% since 2019
Elevation4,534 ft 1,382 m
Land area7.3 sq mi
ZIP code96020
Nearest airportSusanville Municipal Airport (SVE) 35 mi

Why visit Chester

Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 22°F, and about 110 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Chester

Chester (formerly Big Meadows) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Plumas County, California, United States. Chester is located on Lake Almanor, 30 miles (48.3 km) north-northwest of Quincy. The town is located along State Route 36. The US Postal Service ZIP code for the community is 96020.

From the Wikipedia article Chester, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do2

Mt. Lassen Theatre

Cinema and theater · 0.6 mi

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Old Ski Hill

Scenic view · 2.6 mi

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Museums and landmarks2

Olsen Barn

Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi

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Chester-Lake Almanor Museum

Museum · 0.6 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds2

Chester Park

Park · 0.6 mi

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Dig It Meadow

Park

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Restaurants and cafes17

Mi Casita

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi

686 Main Street, Chester

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Kopper Kettle

Diner · American · 0.5 mi

Mo-Su 06:00-21:00

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The Ranch House

Diner · American · 0.5 mi

669 Main Street, Chester

Open in Google Maps · +1-530-258-4226

Aslan's Mediterranean Grill

Restaurant · Mediterranean · 0.8 mi

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Happy Garden

Restaurant · Chinese

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Pizza Factory

Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi

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Bing's Lake Almanor Bistro

Restaurant

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Coffee Station

Cafe · 0.8 mi

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Cravings

Restaurant · 0.4 mi

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Jeff-Roe's

Cafe

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Koninkrijk Koffiehuis

Cafe · 0.5 mi

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Lola's

Restaurant

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5 more on the map.

History

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.

From the History section of Chester, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay7

Churches and places of worship4

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Shopping3

Gas and EV charging2

Schools, colleges and libraries7

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Healthcare1

Map of Chester

47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 6.2 in of rainFebruary: 5.1 in of rainMarch: 5.5 in of rainApril: 2.5 in of rainMay: 1.9 in of rainJune: 0.8 in of rainJuly: 0.4 in of rainAugust: 0.1 in of rainSeptember: 0.3 in of rainOctober: 1.7 in of rainNovember: 3.3 in of rainDecember: 6.5 in of rainJanuary: 42°FFebruary: 46°FMarch: 50°FApril: 57°FMay: 67°FJune: 77°FJuly: 86°FAugust: 85°FSeptember: 79°FOctober: 66°FNovember: 51°FDecember: 41°FJanuary: 22°FFebruary: 23°FMarch: 26°FApril: 30°FMay: 37°FJune: 43°FJuly: 48°FAugust: 46°FSeptember: 41°FOctober: 33°FNovember: 26°FDecember: 22°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan42°F22°F6.2 in31.9 in
Feb46°F23°F5.1 in23.9 in
Mar50°F26°F5.5 in17.0 in
Apr57°F30°F2.5 in3.8 in
May67°F37°F1.9 in0.2 in
Jun77°F43°F0.8 in0.0 in
Jul86°F48°F0.4 in0.0 in
Aug85°F46°F0.1 in0.0 in
Sep79°F41°F0.3 in0.0 in
Oct66°F33°F1.7 in0.3 in
Nov51°F26°F3.3 in10.1 in
Dec41°F22°F6.5 in22.4 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chester (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$47,129median household income
$304,800median home value
$1,110median monthly rent
61.6median age
18.8%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
66.6%of homes are owner-occupied
25.0 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1814%18 to 3417%35 to 6427%65 and over42%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Plumas County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.

  • 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
  • 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
  • 2021-08-24: Wildfires (Fire)
  • 2021-07-20: Dixie Fire (Fire)
  • 2020-09-09: Bear Fire (Fire)
  • 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Susanville Municipal Airport (SVE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 35 miles away.

  • Lake Almanor West 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
  • Lake Almanor Peninsula 5 mi east, about 9 min by car
  • Lake Almanor Country Club 5 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
  • Hamilton Branch 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
  • Westwood 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
  • Susanville 33 mi east, about 53 min by car
  • Burney 47 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Chico 49 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Butte Valley 49 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Red Bluff 54 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.