Chester County, Tennessee
Selected Statistical Information
I.  Geography & Demographics Tennessee Chester County County Rank Percent of State
Total Land Area (sq. mi.)                 41,217                289 76th  0.7%
Farmland (2007)          
Acres of Farmland            10,969,798           71,686  65th   0.7%
Number of Farms                 79,280                484  72nd   0.6%
Average Size of Farms (Acres)                     138                148  32nd   107.2%
Population            
2008 Estimate 6,214,888 16,309 74th  0.3%
2000 Census 5,689,283 15,540 76th  0.3%
1990 Census 4,877,203 12,819 78th  0.3%
Gain (1990 to 2000) 812,080 2,721 65th  0.3%
Growth Rate (1990 to 2000) 16.7% 21.2% 34th  127.5%
Population Density (per sq. mi.)         Comparison to State Figure
2008 Estimate                   150.8               56.5 74th  37.5%
2000 Census                   138.0               53.9 62nd  39.0%
1990 Census                   118.3               44.4 62nd  37.5%
Urban Population         Percent of State
2000 Census            3,618,968             5,244 56th  0.1%
1990 Census            2,969,948             4,760 56th  0.2%
Growth Rate (1990 to 2000) 21.9% 10.2% 41st  46.5%
Percent of Population in Urban Areas
2000 Census 63.6% 33.7% 38th  53.0%
1990 Census 60.9% 37.1% 32nd  61.0%
Median Age            
2000 Census 36 34 91st  95.0%
1990 Census 34 33 85th  97.6%
Population Percentages by Age Bracket        
2000 Census
under 18 24.6% 24.2% 38th 
18-24 9.6% 14.4% 3rd 
25-44 30.2% 26.4% 87th 
45-64 23.2% 21.4% 91st 
65 & over 12.4% 13.6% 52nd 
1990 Census
under 18 25.1% 23.7% 73rd 
18-24 10.9% 15.6% 4th 
25-44 31.8% 26.7% 94th 
45-64 19.6% 19.1% 83rd 
65 & over 12.6% 15.0% 35th 
Population Growth by Age Bracket, 1990 to 2000  
Population Percentages by Race/Ethnicity (2000 Census)  
Tennessee Chester County County Rank* Comparison to State Figure
Males per 100 Females (2007) 95.4 93.5 73rd  98.0%
Marriages Recorded per 1,000 Population in 2006 10.7 7.4 79th  69.2%
Divorces Recorded per 1,000 Population in 2006 4.7 4.2 31st  89.4%
*A rank of 1 indicates the best condition.
II.  Income & Poverty Tennessee Chester County County Rank* Comparison to State Figure
Per Capita Personal Income          
2006 $32,172 $23,700 68th  73.7%
2000 $26,097 $19,889 63rd  76.2%
Compound Annual Growth Rate 3.55% 2.96% 69th  83.53%
Median Household Income          
2007 $42,389 $37,002 49th  87.3%
2000 $35,760 $34,772 30th  97.2%
Compound Annual Growth Rate 2.46% 0.89% 94th  36.27%
2007 Poverty Rate          
All Ages  15.8% 19.1% 66th  120.89%
Related Children Under 18 Years  22.5% 24.0% 44th  106.67%
2000 Census            
All Ages  13.1% 19.1% 82nd  145.58%
Related Children Under 18 Years 15.9% 23.4% 79th  147.02%
2007 Food Stamp Recipients (Monthly Average )          
Percent of Households 15.8% 17.7% 49th  112.14%
Percent of Individuals 14.1% 15.9% 51st  112.42%
2007 Families First           
Percent of Households 2.5% 2.6% 81st  107.82%
Percent of Individuals 2.5% 2.6% 79th  103.96%
*A rank of 1 indicates the best condition.
III.  Health & Healthcare Tennessee Chester County County Rank* Comparison to State Figure
2007 Pregnancy & Birth Rates           
Live births per 1,000 Population                    14.2               12.6 48th  88.7%
Percent of Live Births to Unmarried Parents 42.8% 38.7% 49th  90.4%
Percent Low Birth Weight 9.4% 10.3% 75th  109.6%
Pregnancies per 1,000 Females Aged 15-44                    80.7               62.3 74th  77.2%
Pregnancies per 1,000 Females Aged 10-17                    13.9               12.3 52nd  88.5%
Pregnancies per 1,000 Females Aged 10-14                      1.3                1.9 79th  146.2%
* A rank of 1 indicates the best condition.
2007 Mortality Rates           
Number of Deaths per 1,000 Population                      9.3               10.6 45th  114.0%
Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population by Cause of Death
Diseases of the Heart                   233.2             352.1 80th  151.0%
Cancer (Malignant Neoplasm)                   215.3             234.7 42nd  109.0%
* A rank of 1 indicates the best condition.
33rd 
70th 
33rd 
Tennessee Chester County County Rank Comparison to State Figure
Access to Healthcare          
Medical Doctors per 1,000 (2007)                      1.8                0.3 82nd  17.0%
Hospital Beds per 1,000 Population (2006)                      4.2  n/a  n/a n/a
Nursing Home Beds per 1,000 Pop. 65 & older (2006)                    49.2               58.0 40th  118.0%
2006 Charity Care--Percent of All Hospital Care  8.5% n/a n/a n/a
IV.  Employment
Unemployment Rate   Tennessee Chester County County Rank* Comparison to State Figure
2009 (February) 9.5% 9.9% 26th  103.8%
2000 4.0% 4.2% 33rd  104.8%
2007 Youth Unemployment Rate  15.7% 20.6% 69th  131.7%
* A rank of 1 indicates the best condition.
2007 Employment Percentages by Major Industry   Tennessee Chester County County Rank Comparison to State Figure
Total Employment All Industries 2,745,397 3,425 75 0.1%
Natural Resources and Mining 0.4% 0.0% 80 0.0%
Construction 4.9% 0.0% 83 0.0%
Manufacturing 13.8% 15.6% 78 112.6%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 22.1% 17.5% 71 79.2%
Information 1.8% 0.6% 72 31.0%
Financial Activities 5.2% 2.9% 75 56.5%
Professional and Business Services 11.8% 1.7% 83 14.6%
Education and Health Services 12.4% 21.7% 52 175.0%
Leisure and Hospitality 10.1% 6.5% 74 64.7%
Other Services 2.6% 1.3% 79 48.8%
Government 14.9% 27.7% 56 186.0%
Federal 1.8% 0.9% 81 49.4%
State 3.3% 0.4% 66 10.8%
Local 9.9% 26.5% 54 268.2%
2007 Average Annual Wage by Major Industry         County Rank
64th 
80th 
83rd 
49th 
46th 
64th 
77th 
59th 
18th 
56th 
67th 
85th 
47th 
61st 
64th 
V.  Value of Farmland and Agricultural Products Sold
Tennessee Chester County Rank
Estimated Market Value of Farmland & Buildings   $           467,420  $      361,531 80th 
(Average Per Farm)
Estimated Market Value of Farmland & Buildings   $               3,378  $         2,441 84th 
(Average Per Acre)
Total Market Value of Agicultural Products Sold   $  2,617,394,000  $   4,967,000 84th 
VI.  County Government Finance (municipalities' revenue data not available)
2001-2002 Revenue by Source (in thousands)   Tennessee Percent of Total Chester County Percent of State Total
Grand Total  $         8,062,012 100.0%  $    19,502 100.00%
Total State Revenue  $         2,504,883 31.1%  $    10,374 53.2%
Public Schools            1,949,045 24.2%         8,367 42.9%
All Other               555,838 6.9%         2,007 10.3%
Federal Revenue  $           511,055 6.3%  $      1,515 7.8%
Total Local Revenue  $         5,046,074 62.6%  $      7,614 39.0%
Property Tax            2,720,971 33.8%         3,051 15.6%
Local Sales Tax            1,123,100 13.9%         2,118 10.9%
Other Local             1,202,003 14.9%         2,445 12.5%
 Tax Base (in thousands)   Tennessee Chester County County Rank Percent of State
2007 Equalized Assessed Property Value  $     131,625,598  $      196,973
Tax Base Per Capita $21,179 $12,078 81st  57.0%
2007 County Property Tax Rate (per $100) $2.12 65th 
2008 Total Taxable Sales   $       69,005,974  $       71,358
Tax Base Per Capita $11,103 $4,375 63rd  39.4%
2008 County Sales Tax Rate 2.75% 1st 
VII.  Public Infrastructure Needs Inventory
Estimated Costs, 2007 - 2012 (in thousands)   Tennessee Chester County County Rank Percent of State
Project  Type
Transportation  $       17,106,712  $       31,119 80th 0.2%
Water & Wastewater            3,855,355           12,595 57th 0.3%
Law Enforcement            1,826,201             8,000 39th 0.4%
Recreation            1,118,527             5,950 36th 0.5%
Public Health Facilities               323,093             3,000 12th 0.9%
Existing School Improvements            1,899,735             1,500 68th 0.1%
Non K-12 Education            3,015,869             1,400 30th 0.0%
Fire Protection               220,725                575 35th 0.3%
K-12 New School Construction            1,798,581                    - 45th 0.0%
Other Utilities               598,698                    - 32nd 0.0%
Public Buildings               526,288                    - 77th 0.0%
Business District Development               375,758                    - 23rd 0.0%
Stormwater               371,227                    - 39th 0.0%
Community Development               367,547                    - 50th 0.0%
Libraries, Museums, & Historic Sites               285,785                    - 52nd 0.0%
Industrial Sites & Parks               241,362                    - 68th 0.0%
Housing               100,189                    - 14th 0.0%
School System-wide Need                 63,021                    - 16th 0.0%
Solid Waste                 54,314                    - 30th 0.0%
Other Facilities                 32,755                    - 9th 0.0%
Telecommunications                 17,009                    - 5th 0.0%
Property Acquisition                   3,956                    - 8th 0.0%
Grand Total  $       34,202,707  $       64,139 82nd 0.2%
VIII.  Adult & Post-secondary Education
Adult Educational Attainment     Tennessee Chester County County Rank
2000 Census
Percent w/ HS diploma (or equivalent) or better 75.9% 67.8% 51st 
Percent w/ Bachelors Degree or better 19.6% 11.2% 38th 
2008 Estimate
1990 Census
Percent w/ HS diploma (or equivalent) or better 67.1% 54.6% 58th 
Percent w/ Bachelors Degree or better 16.0% 8.7% 41st 
 Number of Post-secondary Institutions (2008)      
Four-year Colleges and Universities 77 1
Public 14 0
Private 63 1
Other Public Institutions 93 0
Community Colleges 13 0
Technology Centers 27 0
Two-Year Private Institutions 20 0
Off-campus Sites 33 0
2007 - 2008 Enrollment (full-time equivalent) at Post-secondary Institutions    
Four-year Colleges and Universities*          214,260                2,061
Public 134,696 0
Private 79,564 2,061
Other Public Institutions* 134,278 0
Community Colleges 80,454 0
Technology Centers 13,939 0
Two-Year Private Insitutions 11,049 0
Off-campus Sites 28,836 0
* Note: By location of instiution, not county of residence of students
IX.  Public School Systems  (Total number of school systems is 136)
Statewide Chester County    
Number of Students
2007-2008                 944,738                    2,698               
Percent of Statewide 0.3%          
1997-1998                 834,318                    2,318               
Percent of Statewide 0.3%          
Increase/(Decrease)                 110,420 380          
Percent Change 13.2% 16.4%          
2007-2008
Free or Reduced-price Meals 54.5% 52.3%
Federal Title 1 39.7% 54.4%
Special Education 14.7% 10.0%
English Language Learners 3.2% 0.6%
Statewide Chester County    
2007-2008 Accreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools 
Elementary Schools 71.5% 0.0%
Secondary Schools 90.8% 100.0%
Students per Classroom Teacher*
2007-2008                      14.9                      17.0               
1997-1998                      15.8                      16.4               
Increase/(Decrease)                       (0.9)                        0.6                    
Progress Through School
Promotion Rate
2007-2008 98.0% 97.4%          
1997-1998 96.6% 96.8%
Dropout Rate
2007-2008 10.1% 6.5%
1997-1998 4.5% 2.6%
*Classroom teachers include art, music and physical education teachers.  Because these auxiliary teachers are
included, ratios of students to classroom teachers do not represent and tend to be lower than actual class sizes.
Statewide Chester County    
Expenditures per Student
2007-2008 $7,742 $6,149
Percent of Statewide 79.4%          
1997-1998 $5,123 $4,148
Percent of Statewide 81.0%          
Increase/Decrease $2,618 $2,001          
Percent Change 51.1% 48.2%          
Classroom Teachers' Average Salary*
2007-2008 $44,820 $40,072
Percent of Statewide 89.4%
1997-1998 $34,584 $30,398
Percent of Statewide 87.9%
Gain $10,236 $9,674
Percent Change 29.6% 31.8%          
Revenue by Source (percent of total)
2007-2008
State 47.6% 71.5%
Federal 10.8% 11.3%
Local 41.6% 17.2%
System Rank for Percent Local 117th 
2006-2007
State 45.5% 69.0%
Federal 11.0% 12.1%
Local 43.5% 18.8%
System Rank for Percent Local 117th 
Statewide Chester County County Rank
2008-2009 County Area Fiscal Capacity        
Estimated Local Revenue per Student $2,782 $1,256 68th 
Sources of Information for County Profiles
I. Geography & Demographics
U.S. Bureau of the Census--all data except for marriage and divorce rates.
www.census.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture - farmland data
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome
TN Dept. of Health - marriage and divorce rates.
http://health.state.tn.us/
II. Income & Poverty
U.S. Bureau of the Census--median household income data & poverty rates.
www.census.gov
TN Dept. of Human Services--Food Stamp data and Families First data.
http://www.tennessee.gov/humanserv/adfam/afs_fsp.htm
http://www.tennessee.gov/humanserv/adfam/afs_tanf.htm
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis - per capita income data
www.bea.gov
III. Health & Healthcare
TN Dept.of Health, Health Statistics & Research--pregnancy, births, mortality & healthcare access data.
http://health.state.tn.us/statistics/healthdata.htm
IV. Employment
TN Dept. Of Labor and Workforce Development - unemployment data. 
http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/
U.S. Department of Labor - employment data.
ww.bls.gov/lau/home.htm
V. Value of Farmland and Agricultural Product Sold
U.S. Department of Agriculture - farmland data
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome
VI. County Government Finance (municipalities' revenue data not available)
TN County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS), Resource Center--county revenue data.
www.ctas.utk.edu
TN Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessment--equalized assessed property values.
http://www.comptroller.state.tn.us/pa/taxaggr.htm
TN Dept. of Revenue--total taxable sales.
www.state.tn.us/revenue/files.htm
VII. Public Infrastructure Needs Inventory
TN Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations--all data. 
http://tn.gov/tacir/infrastructure.html
VIII. Adult & Post-secondary Education
U.S. Bureau of the Census--educational attainment.
www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/educ-attn.html
TN Higher Education Commission--post-secondary institution and enrollment data.
www.state.tn.us/thec
IX. Public School Systems (Total number of school systems is 136)
TN Department of Education--all data except fiscal capacity.
http://www.state.tn.us/education/mdata.shtml
TN Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations--education fiscal capacity.
http://tn.gov/tacir/fiscalcapacity.html
Prepared by TACIR