A small village in south central Nebraska, where resident Stephen Epler from Chester, developed Six-man football in 1934 as an alternative means for small high schools to field a football team during the Great Depression. Miss Nebraska 2017, Allison Tietjen calls Chester home. Chester earned its description as the small town with a big heart through it’s outpouring of love and support for an unknown nine year old boy whose body was found near Chester on Christmas Eve in 1985. He was referred to as Little Boy Blue because his body was found in blue pajamas. Filled with beautiful people inside and out, Chester really is the small town with a big heart.
Address: 621 Thayer Avenue, Chester, NE
Village Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (1st -15th) Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM (16th-20th) Closed (20th-remainder of the month)
Village Clerk/Treasurer: Dakota Cherney
For utilities: Come to the village office, the utility deposit is 250.00. Utilities include water, sewer, trash, and electricity. Internet/Phone is provided by Great Plains Communications and gas is provided by Black Hills Energy.
As of 2025 the population of Chester, NE is 220. The population is expected to shrink to 217 by 2030 - a growth rate of -0.27%.
The median age of Chester, NE residents is 45.
The diversity index of Chester, NE is 4.5, meaning that there is a 5% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.
The average household income in Chester, NE is $61,098 and projected to be $68,682 in 2030. Per capita income is $28,605, projected to be $31,967 in 2030. 1.36% of households – 3 – have an income of $200,000 or higher. Average net worth is $436,419 and the average disposable income is $48,929.
There are 126 housing units in Chester, NE; 89 are owner-occupied, 14 are rented, and 23 are vacant. The average home value is $192,669, with 0 homes built in 2010 or later, and 80 built in 1939 or earlier.
There are 20 businesses in Chester, NE, employing 65 workers and pulling from a labor force of 135 age 16 and above. 4 workers commute into Chester, NE from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:
100 residents both live and work in/around Chester, NE. The average travel time is 0.0 minutes. 13% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 0% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 108 drive alone, 17 carpool, and 0 take public transportation. 2 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 8 residents work from home.
54 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 21 have associates degrees, 22 have bachelor’s degrees, and 8 hold a graduate or professional degree.