West Chester is a medium-sized borough located in the state of Pennsylvania. With a population of 22,758 people and 25 associated neighborhoods, West Chester is the 46th largest community in Pennsylvania. West Chester has a large stock of pre-World War II architecture, making it one of the older and more historic boroughs in the country.

West Chester home prices are not only among the most expensive in Pennsylvania, but West Chester real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Also of interest is that West Chester has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

A relatively large number of people in West Chester telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 14.90% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Because West Chester has a very large number of students who are 18 years or older and in college, it is thought of as a college town. This has a major influence on local West Chester lifestyle, entertainment, and culture in general. Life in West Chester is very much tied to the academic calendar: when students return from the summer break in the fall, one will notice them out and about, buying groceries, out with friends, and generally getting re-acquainted with each other. In West Chester people study hard and play hard, and there is ample opportunity to do both.

West Chester, while not large, also appears to be attractive to some younger, educated professionals, who help shape the character of the borough.

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in West Chester. 60.12% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in West Chester in 2022 was $44,115, which is upper middle income relative to Pennsylvania and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $176,460 for a family of four. However, West Chester contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

West Chester is a very ethnically-diverse borough. The people who call West Chester home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of West Chester residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. West Chester also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 10.93% of the borough’s residents. Important ancestries of people in West Chester include Irish, German, Italian, English, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in West Chester is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Langs. of India.