Chester, New York
Chester is a village of 4,033 people in Orange County, New York, founded in 1892.
Why visit Chester
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 22 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Elite Cinema 6, Durland Hill, Everett-Bradner House and Fury Brook Farm.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 17°F.
Weather in Chester
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chester
Chester is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,993 at the 2020 census. It was named after the City of Chester in the Cheshire region of northwest England. Chester is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Chester (village), New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Chester Agricultural Center
Farm and orchard · 0.5 mi
10 Greycourt Avenue, Chester
Museums and landmarks6
Everett-Bradner House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic house in New York, United States
Fury Brook Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in New York, United States
Yelverton Inn and Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes22
10 more on the map.
History
The village of Chester was incorporated in 1892. The first Mayor of Chester was William A. Lawrence, the inventor of modern day cream cheese. At the center of a dairy industry, the village claims Philadelphia Cream Cheese was founded here. Other brands produced in Chester were Clover Brand, Cow Brand, D’isigny, Fromage De Brie, Neufchatel, Star Brand and World Brand.
The village of Chester contains a historic section called Downtown Historic Chester. The Orange Heritage rail trail begins here at the site of the former Erie Railroad train station.
From the History section of Chester (village), New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship5
First Presbyterian Church of Chester
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Kirya Joel Early Childhood Educational Centr
School · 6.0 mi
655 County Rt 105, Monroe
Healthcare2
Map of Chester
66 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 17°F | 2.4 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 18°F | 2.4 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 36°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 3.4 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.3 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 61°F | 3.3 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 59°F | 4.4 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.9 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 3.7 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 31°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 23°F | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Montgomery Orange Ap (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Orange County has had 26 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-11-15: Jennings Creek Fire (Fire)
- 2023-07-22: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-22: Hurricane Henri (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Orange County Airport (MGJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Kiryas Joel 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Mountain Lodge Park 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Woodbury 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Scotchtown 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Middletown 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Beaver Dam Lake 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Upper Greenwood Lake 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Hewitt 13 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Vernon Valley 13 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Newburgh 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Chester, NY, Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Presbyterian Church of Chester, NY, Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fury Brook Farm, Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Everett-Bradner House, Original uploader was Daniel Case at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Yelverton Inn, Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.