Business Characteristics
This section identifies basic business characteristics in Chester County, including major employers, number of establishments, and size of establishments.
Major Employers
Chester County's largest employers, by number of employees, include financial, online retail, governmental, hospital, educational, grocery, pharmaceutical, and computer companies and organizations.
Establishment data is pulled from both the U.S Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which differ in total establishment figures due to data collection differences.
Figure 29 — Major Employers, 2024
- The Vanguard Group Inc
Multiple Locations - The Chester County Hospital
West Chester - Main Line Hospitals Inc
Multiple Locations - County of Chester
Multiple Locations - Federal Government
Multiple Locations - Giant Food Stores LLC
Multiple Locations - PA State System of Higher Education
Multiple Locations - Downingtown Area School District
Multiple Locations - Chester County Intermediate
Downingtown - QVC Network Inc
West Chester - West Chester Area School District
Multiple Locations - Communications Test Design Inc
West Chester - United Parcel Service Inc
Multiple Locations - YMCA of Greater Brandywine
Multiple LocationsvWawa Inc Multiple Locations - IQVIA Inc
Tredyffrin - Wal-Mart Associates Inc
Multiple Locations - State Government
Multiple Locations - The Arc of Chester County
West Chester - Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc
Malvern - George Krapf Jr & Sons Inc
Glenmoore - Wegmans Food Markets Inc
Multiple Locations - ACME Markets Inc
Multiple Locations - Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
Multiple Locations - Comcast Cablevision Corp (PA)
Kennett Square - De Lage Landen Financial Services
Tredyffrin - Oracle America Inc
Malvern - Johnson Matthey Inc
West Chester - Herr Foods Inc
Nottingham - Owen J Roberts School District
Multiple Locations - The Pyle Corporation
West Chester - Janssen Research & Development LLC
Multiple Locations - The Devereux Foundation
West Chester - Target Corporation
Multiple Locations - Certainteed LLC
Malvern - Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square - Phoenixville Hospital LLC
Phoenixville - Phoenixville Area School District
Multiple Locations - ABH Pennsylvania Children's Services
East Whiteland - Coatesville Area School District
Multiple Locations - Unionville Chadds Ford School District
Multiple Locations - Main Line Healthcare
Multiple Locations - Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square - Avon Grove School District
Multiple Locations - Great Valley School District
Multiple Locations - Clinical Care Assoc - Univ of PA
Multiple Locations - J D Eckman Inc
Atglen - Collegium Charter School
West Whiteland - Teva Branded Pharmaceutical Product
Multiple Locations - Insight PA Cyber Charter Schools
Exton
Figure 30 — Major Employers 2023
Employment by Industry
The largest number of establishments are in professional services, health care, other services, construction, and retail. These industries often have businesses with multiple establishments. The data excludes sole proprietors, for example, a self-employed web designer who works from home would not be included in establishment counts.
Figure 31 — Employers by Industry
Establishments by Size
According to U.S. Census data, only 14 of the county's establishments have over 1,000 employees. The vast majority have two to nine employees.
Figure 32 — Establishments by Size
Establishments by Location
Chester County's businesses and other establishments are concentrated near population centers and transit nodes. These establishments are largely in or near the Landscapes3 urban and suburban centers.
