Chester is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 139 in the 2020 census, a decrease of 7.9% from the 151 population in the 2000 census. Chester is located close to the state line from Minnesota.

Howard County is a county located in the US state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,469. The county seat is Cresco. The county was founded in 1851; it was named for General Tilghman Ashurst Howard, a Representative of Indiana.