Chester, California
Encyclopedia
Chester is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Plumas County
, California
, United States
. Chester is located on Lake Almanor
, 30 miles (48.3 km) north-northwest of Quincy
. The town is located along State Route 36
. The US Postal Service ZIP code
for the community is 96020. The population was 2,144 at the 2010 census, down from 2,316 at the 2000 census.
The primary industries in Chester are lumber manufacturing and tourism. Chester serves as the retail center for the Lake Almanor
region of California
, and derives a significant portion of its economy from the tourist trade, and to a lesser degree from construction to service new residents and businesses.
and another from Chester, Missouri. The Chester post office opened in 1894 and moved in 1908.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 10.1 km² (3.9 sq mi). 18.9 km² (7.3 sq mi) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.077220431718507 sq mi) of it (1.10%) is water.
Chester is situated almost directly over the buried North end of The Sierra Nevada.
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.
, 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.
) has been in operation since the 1940s under a truly "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." http://oikos.com/products/wood-plastics/collins/ 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, the latter of which locally utilizes clear-cutting, rather than more environmentally sound practices.
Lake Almanor
has developed as a vacation/tourist destination and Chester serves as the retail center for the area. Four of the Almanor basin's six gas stations are located in Chester, as well as the Almanor basin's only full-sized grocery store.
, whose wife Gena Norris is a Chester native, has a vacation home in Chester.
Chester is located in the 1st Senate
District, represented by Republican
Ted Gaines
, and in the 3rd Assembly
District, represented by Republican Dan Logue. Federally, Chester is located in California's 4th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +11 and is represented by Republican Tom McClintock
.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Plumas County
Plumas County, California
Plumas County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The county gets its name from the Spanish words for the Feather River , which flows through the county. As of the 2010 census, the population 20,007, down from 20,824 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Chester is located on Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is a large artificial lake in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet...
, 30 miles (48.3 km) north-northwest of Quincy
Quincy, California
Quincy is a census-designated place and the county seat of Plumas County, California. The population was 1,728 at the 2010 census, down from 1,879 at the 2000 census. Quincy is named after the city of Quincy, Illinois...
. The town is located along State Route 36
California State Route 36
State Route 36 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of California that is routed from U.S. Route 101 in Humboldt County to U.S. Route 395 just east of Susanville in Lassen County. The portion of SR 36 travelling past Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lake Almanor is part of the...
. The US Postal Service ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
for the community is 96020. The population was 2,144 at the 2010 census, down from 2,316 at the 2000 census.
The primary industries in Chester are lumber manufacturing and tourism. Chester serves as the retail center for the Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is a large artificial lake in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet...
region of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and derives a significant portion of its economy from the tourist trade, and to a lesser degree from construction to service new residents and businesses.
History
The town was founded and named by two settlers, one from Chester, VermontChester, Vermont
Chester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,044 at the 2000 census. The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth as Flamstead in 1754. The terms of the charter were not met and the town was re-chartered as New Flamstead in 1761...
and another from Chester, Missouri. The Chester post office opened in 1894 and moved in 1908.
Geography
Chester is located at 40°18′10"N 121°14′5"W (40.302395, -121.234672).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 10.1 km² (3.9 sq mi). 18.9 km² (7.3 sq mi) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.077220431718507 sq mi) of it (1.10%) is water.
Chester is situated almost directly over the buried North end of The Sierra Nevada.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Chester had a population of 2,144. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, 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
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(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 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 2,316 people, 956 households, and 647 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.22% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.12% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.47% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.55% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.89% from two or more races. 6.04% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
History and Features
Economy
The primary industries in Chester are lumber manufacturing and tourism. Collins Pine (a division of The Collins CompaniesThe Collins Companies
The Collins Companies, which began operations in 1855, is a family-owned American forest products company. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Collins was the first privately-owned forest products company in the United States to have all of its hardwood and softwood forests certified by the Forest...
) has been in operation since the 1940s under a truly "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." http://oikos.com/products/wood-plastics/collins/ 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
Roseburg Forest Products
Roseburg Forest Products, based in Roseburg, Oregon, is one of the largest privately owned wood–products companies in the United States. Originally named Roseburg Lumber, the company was founded by Kenneth Ford in 1937, operating mills throughout Western Oregon. In the early 1980s it was renamed...
, and Sierra Pacific Industries, the latter of which locally utilizes clear-cutting, rather than more environmentally sound practices.
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is a large artificial lake in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California. The reservoir has a capacity of and a maximum depth of about 90 feet...
has developed as a vacation/tourist destination and Chester serves as the retail center for the area. Four of the Almanor basin's six gas stations are located in Chester, as well as the Almanor basin's only full-sized grocery store.
Media
The primary local news source is the Chester Progressive, a local newspaper published every Wednesday.Resident Celebrities
Chuck NorrisChuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
, whose wife Gena Norris is a Chester native, has a vacation home in Chester.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Chester is located in the 1st Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Ted Gaines
Ted Gaines
Edward M. Gaines is a California State Senator, representing the 1st Senate district. He won a January 4, 2011, special election to replace the late Dave Cox and took office two days later...
, and in the 3rd Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Dan Logue. Federally, Chester is located in California's 4th congressional district
California's 4th congressional district
California's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers the northeastern corner of California along Route 395, encompassing El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, and Modoc counties, as well as parts of Butte County...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +11 and is represented by Republican Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock
Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...
.