59522 ZIP Code — Chester, MT

Liberty County, Montana

ZIP code 59522 is located in Chester, Montana, within Liberty County. It covers approximately 821.93 square miles and serves a population of 1,324 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 406.

About ZIP code 59522

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $147,500. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 50%.

Median household income is $51,406. Poverty affects 28% of residents, above the national average. 44% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 17 minutes is near the national average. Remote work is prevalent — 30% of workers work from home.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 31% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 59522 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a high rate of remote workers, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,324

population

821.93

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

59522 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 59522

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 59522. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Chester	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

59444 Galata (14.7 mi) 59531 Joplin (15.8 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	1,324
Population density	2 / sq mi
State FIPS	30
County FIPS	051

Geography
Land area	821.93 sq mi
Water area	1.83 sq mi
Latitude	48.4362
Longitude	-111.0824
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	406

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.9%	51.5%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	23.2%	26.1%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	16.2%	15.6%	19.2%
Over $200k	7.7%	6.8%	4.7%

Demographics & statistics

1,324

Population

People per sq mi

35.5

Median age

$51,406

Median household income

$29,992

Per capita income

$147,500

Median home value

$670

Median monthly rent

49.7%

Home ownership

28.3%

Poverty rate

0.4%

Unemployment

340

Housing units

31.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

122

35–44

127

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	333	25.2%
18 and over	991	74.8%
65 and over	315	23.8%
Median age	35.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 97.1%

Two or more races 2.4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	1,285	97.1%
Two or more races	32	2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	0.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.9%	51.5%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	23.2%	26.1%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	16.2%	15.6%	19.2%
Over $200k	7.7%	6.8%	4.7%

Under $10k 9.3%

$10k–$15k 5.2%

$15k–$25k 10.7%

$25k–$35k 8.6%

$35k–$50k 15.2%

$50k–$75k 14.5%

$75k–$100k 9.5%

$100k–$150k 18.4%

$150k–$200k 4.1%

$200k+ 4.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.3%
$10k–$15k	5.2%
$15k–$25k	10.7%
$25k–$35k	8.6%
$35k–$50k	15.2%
$50k–$75k	14.5%
$75k–$100k	9.5%
$100k–$150k	18.4%
$150k–$200k	4.1%
$200k+	4.5%
Median income	$51,406

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 15.5%

$50k–$100k 12.8%

$100k–$150k 21.9%

$150k–$200k 12.8%

$200k–$300k 29.2%

$300k–$500k 7.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$147,500
Median rent / month	$670
Owner occupied	49.7%
Renter occupied	50.3%
Vacant	21.5%
Single-family detached	63.9%
Large apartment buildings	8.2%
Mobile homes	8.7%
Median rooms	5.2
Avg household size (owned)	3.04

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.4%
2000–2009	8.4%
1990–1999	8.4%
1980–1989	10.3%
1970–1979	18.3%
1960–1969	8.4%
1950–1959	15.3%
1940–1949	7.8%
1939 or earlier	19.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	4.8%
1 bedroom	9.3%
2 bedrooms	31.1%
3 bedrooms	36.3%
4 bedrooms	10.7%
5+ bedrooms	7.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	17.7%
1 vehicle	32.7%
2 vehicles	25.4%
3 or more	24.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	50.6%
Electricity	33.6%
Propane / LP gas	13.8%
Fuel oil	1.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	204	46.3%
Cohabiting couple	14	3.2%
Male householder, no spouse	64	14.5%
Female householder, no spouse	159	36.1%
Households with children under 18	113	25.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	222	50.3%
Average household size	2.90

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	19.2%	27.3%
Married	66.3%	49.6%
Separated	2.4%	0.2%
Widowed	5.7%	18.4%
Divorced	6.4%	4.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 19.5%

Some HS, no diploma 6.4%

HS graduate 19.7%

Some college, no degree 16.8%

Associate's degree 6.3%

Bachelor's degree 22.9%

Graduate / professional 8.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	74.1%
Bachelor's or higher	31.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	19	8.2%
Kindergarten	3	1.3%
Elementary school	167	72.0%
High school	36	15.5%
College / grad school	7	3.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 25.7%

Public administration 23.2%

Education & healthcare 18.5%

Retail trade 7.1%

Information 5.6%

Construction 5.0%

Wholesale trade 4.6%

Professional & management 3.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 2.3%

Finance & real estate 1.7%

Other services 1.4%

Transportation & utilities 1.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	43.8%
Service	12.0%
Sales & office	19.1%
Natural resources & construction	14.3%
Production & transportation	10.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	57.5%
Government	29.7%
Self-employed	4.6%
Unpaid family workers	8.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	46.1%
Carpool	4.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	15.1%
Work from home	30.3%
Other means	3.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	17.2

Poverty

All people 28.3%

Under 18 years 23.7%

18 and over 29.9%

Married-couple families 16.7%

Female-led households 56.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.2%
Retirement income	24.0%
Supplemental Security	5.4%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	5.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.6%
High blood pressure	34.4%
High cholesterol	34.4%
Diabetes	12.0%
Heart disease	9.0%
Stroke	4.5%
Asthma	11.5%
Arthritis	32.3%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	10.3%
Cancer	8.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.8%
Binge drinking	18.3%
No physical activity	26.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.1%
Depression	24.6%
Fair or poor health	18.9%
Poor mental health	14.9%
Poor physical health	14.4%
No health insurance	15.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.6%
Visited dentist	56.2%
Cholesterol screening	86.6%
Teeth loss	21.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	101	10.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	19.4%
Under 18	4.2%
18–64 years	16.9%
65 and over	42.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	49.4%
Public insurance	60.8%
No insurance	6.0%
Uninsured under 19	2.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,207	91.2%
Spanish	9	0.7%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	9	0.7%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,316	99.4%
Born in same state	1,289	97.4%
Born in different state	1,052	79.5%
Foreign born	27	2.0%
Naturalized citizen	8	0.6%
Not a US citizen	8	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	228	17.2%
Italian	109	8.2%
French	99	7.5%
Arab	37	2.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	4	0.3%
English	3	0.2%
German	1	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	33.3%
Internet access	84.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 59522

What city is ZIP code 59522 in?

ZIP code 59522 is primarily assigned to Chester, Montana.

What county is ZIP code 59522 in?

ZIP code 59522 falls within Liberty County, Montana.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59522?

28% of residents in ZIP code 59522 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 59522 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 59522 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 59522?

The median home value in ZIP code 59522 is $147,500.

Does ZIP code 59522 have a large veteran population?

10% of civilians in ZIP code 59522 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 59522 in?

ZIP code 59522 observes the MST timezone.