In March of 2020, the U. S. Census Bureau released the estimated 2019 population for all counties in Pennsylvania, along with data describing the people who were moving in and out of each county. This data set (which has been maintained since 2010) shows that over the last ten years, Chester County’s population estimate grew by 25,064 (or 5.01%), which is the 5th largest county percent increase in the state, and the 4th largest increase in total numbers.
Statewide, Chester County has ranked in the top ten counties in terms of births and deaths since 2010. Over that period, we saw a net migration of 10,630 new residents from international locations, and 732 from domestic locations – which is an unusual situation. Across the state, there were 13 counties that experienced an international migration of over 6,000 people, however, only Chester County saw a drop in domestic migration. This means that Chester County has been attracting new residents from both inside and outside of the U.S.
From 2018 to 2019, Chester County’s population estimate grew by 2,903 (or 0.56%), which is the 6th largest county percent increase in the state. As the second column of Table 1 shows, Chester County’s annual growth for 2018-2019 far exceeds most counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. But as Table 2 shows, Chester County’s long-term growth (2010-2019) has been lower than that of Lancaster, Montgomery, or Philadelphia Counties. These findings suggest that the region-wide population boom of the last decade has recently slowed down, but growth continues in certain locations, including our very own Chester County.
Table 1: Population Change 2018-2019
Note: * According to the U. S. Census Bureau, total estimated population change includes a “residual” component that cannot be attributed to any specific demographic component like vital events or net migration. As a result, components on this table may not add up exactly to the total population. Source: U.S. Census, CO-EST2019-COMP-42, March 2020.
Table 2: Population Change 2010-2019
Note: * According to the U. S. Census Bureau, total estimated population change includes a “residual” component that cannot be attributed to any specific demographic component like vital events or net migration. As a result, components on this table may not add up exactly to the total population. Source: U.S. Census, CO-EST2019-COMP-42, March 2020.