Chester, California

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census^[7] reported that Chester had a population of 2,144. The population density was 291.0 people per square mile (112.3/km²). 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 persons (8.3%).

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, out of which 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 made up of individuals and 95 (10.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 581 families (61.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.81.

The population was spread out with 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 years of age 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 (64.8/km²), of which 568 (60.2%) were owner-occupied, and 375 (39.8%) were occupied by renters. 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.

2000

As of the 2000 census,^[8] there were 2,316 people, 956 households, and 647 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 320.5 people per square mile (123.7/km²). There were 1,130 housing units at an average density of 156.4 per square mile (60.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.62% White, 0.22% Black or African American, 2.12% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races. 6.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 956 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,413, and the median income for a family was $45,195. Males had a median income of $33,417 versus $26,164 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,569. About 9.6% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Activities and features

Chester Museum, an addition to the Chester Library.

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.

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.

Economy

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." Collins no longer maintains the distinction of Chester's dominant employer, though it remains the single business with the most employees.

Other logging companies operating in the area are Roseburg Forest Products, and Sierra Pacific Industries. Clear cutting is performed in the area.^[9][10]

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.

Resident celebrities

Chuck Norris, whose wife Gena Norris is a Chester native, has a vacation home in Chester.

Tony Miller, former California Secretary of State

Politics

In the state legislature, Chester is in the 1st Senate District, represented by Republican Ted Gaines,^[11] and the 1st Assembly District, represented by Republican Brian Dahle.^[12]

Federally, Chester is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.^[13]

School District, Chester Elementary School, Chester Junior Senior High School, and Almanor High School (continuation) are part of the Plumas Unified School District based in Quincy, California. 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.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chester, California.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chester.

Municipalities and communities of Plumas County, California, United States
County seat: Quincy
City	Portola
CDPs	Almanor Beckwourth Belden Blairsden Bucks Lake C-Road Canyondam Caribou Chester Chilcoot-Vinton Clio Crescent Mills Cromberg Delleker East Quincy East Shore Gold Mountain Graeagle Greenhorn Greenville Hamilton Branch Indian Falls Iron Horse Johnsville Keddie La Porte Lake Almanor Country Club Lake Almanor Peninsula Lake Almanor West Lake Davis Little Grass Valley Mabie Meadow Valley Mohawk Vista Paxton Plumas Eureka Prattville Quincy Spring Garden Storrie Taylorsville Tobin Twain Valley Ranch Warner Valley Whitehawk
Unincorporated communities	Buckeye Cascade Cedar Mill Chilcoot Drakesbad Feather River Inn Feather River Park Five Points Foxwood Genesee Grays Flat Hawley Hot Springs Longville Massack Merlin Moccasin Mohawk Palmetto Quincy Junction Rock Creek Rock Creek Camp Rock Crest Rodgers Flat Seneca Sloat Spanish Ranch Two Rivers Vinton Virgilia
Ghost towns	Argentine Bells Bar Bontes Chases China Gulch Crow Delaney Dentens Dutch Hill Edmanton English Bar Hartwell Hindu Hopnomkoyo Jamison Keep Kerby Kettle Kotasi Little Jamison Lovejoy Nakankoyo Richmond Hill Round Valley Silver Creek Squirrel Creek Summit Tasikoyo Walkermine Wonderland