City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Chelsea, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Chelsea - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,731
Residents
$110,056
Median income
$339,400
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Chelsea - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Chelsea lands in the 83rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

83rd
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Chelsea, AL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 15,731 residents in Chelsea, a small town within Alabama. Median household income here is $110,056 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.1%. Home values in Chelsea run a median of $339,400, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. Educational attainment runs 44.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 163 residential building permits were authorized in Chelsea (Stable), up 1% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alabama at 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,266 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 90.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

15,731 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$110,056 /yr

Poverty 1.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Chelsea compare to other US cities?

Chelsea measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Chelsea against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Chelsea's strongest outlier among Alabama cities

Among the 517 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Chelsea ranks #22 - the 96th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Chelsea only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#22 of 530
96th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#39 of 556
76th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#22 of 517
96th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#501 of 556
10th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#28 of 556
95th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

83rdIncome percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Chelsea's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$339,400 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Chelsea $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Chelsea, AL Chelsea, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chelsea, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Chelsea, AL median $110,056/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Chelsea, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Chelsea, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,731
Median Income
$110,056
Median Home Value
$339,400
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
1.1%
Labor force participation
64.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.9%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,000 residents16,000 residents17,000 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,247 residents 17,716 residents ▲ +16.2%
Chelsea's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
163
housing units authorized
Single-Family
163
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 161
2020 196
2021 202
2022 196
2023 177
2024 163

Permit volume increased 1% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.1%
Carpool
4.7%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
13.8%
Other
0.8%

Based on 7,635 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Chelsea sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Gulf Shores
15,785 people
Scottsboro
15,641 people
Hartselle
15,586 people
Gardendale
16,110 people
Center Point
16,125 people
Saraland
16,304 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chelsea's 15,731 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Longmeadow, MA
15,724 people
Vail, AZ
15,722 people
Fort Mohave, AZ
15,716 people
Rutland, VT
15,747 people
Wailuku, HI
15,754 people
Whitewater, WI
15,705 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chelsea's $110,056 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Volin, SD
$110,060 median income
Catonsville, MD
$110,051 median income
Spokane, MO
$110,048 median income
Beavercreek, OH
$110,064 median income
West Bradenton, FL
$110,072 median income
Costa Mesa, CA
$110,073 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chelsea, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Chelsea, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.3% 7.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 85.3% Black or African American 7.4% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 5.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Chelsea compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Chelsea (this city) 15,731 $110,056
Gulf Shores 15,785 $73,873
Scottsboro 15,641 $52,949
Hartselle 15,586 $67,863
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chelsea, AL?

What is the population of Chelsea, AL? +

Chelsea, AL has a population of 15,731 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Chelsea, AL? +

Median annual household income in Chelsea runs $110,056, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chelsea? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chelsea; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Chelsea, AL? +

The median home value in Chelsea is $339,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.