Home Insurance in Chester, Illinois
With a median home value of $111,700, Chester is 17% lower than the Randolph County median.
The typical home in Chester was built around 1957. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 54% of homes were built before 1960, about 17 points above Randolph County's 37%.
In Chester, the housing stock is 86% single-family homes, 3% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
51% of owner-occupied homes in Chester carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 74% of occupied homes in Chester are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 14%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
In Chester, 72% of homes are primarily heated with natural gas.
What's the biggest home insurance risk near Chester? FEMA's National Risk Index points to earthquake (Relatively Moderate) in Randolph County and Randolph County had 141 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Randolph County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details. Earthquake damage is excluded from a standard homeowners policy.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Illinois is $1,480 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $111,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Owner-occupied share | 74% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 51% |
| Top county hazard | Earthquake (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Randolph County | 141 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,480 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)