City · Massachusetts
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea, city, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Chelsea had 40,130 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 40,787 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 39,908 (±42). GEOID 2513205.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
40,130
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 40,787 · ACS 2020-2024: 39,908 ±42
Median household income
$72,179
±$7,994 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$493,500
±$23,573 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,956
±$96 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Chelsea and what county is it in?
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. It covers 2.2 square miles of land, 18,381 residents per square mile in 2020.
Chelsea is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chelsea, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 40,130 people lived in Chelsea on July 1, 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, while Massachusetts grew 1.7%. The 2020 Census counted 40,787 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 39,908 (±42).
| Measure | Chelsea | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 39,908 ±42 | 785,121 | −84 |
| Households | 13,716 ±635 | 327,167 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.85 ±0.13 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 14,165 ±629 | 357,290 | no clear change |
Chelsea's population since 2000
From 35,080 in 2000 to 40,130 in 2025: up 14.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chelsea as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chelsea?
The median resident of Chelsea is 34.4 years old; 24.4% are under 18 and 10.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 67.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 17.7%. 46.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Chelsea | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 ±1.3 | 33.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.4% ±2.0 pts | 16.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.5% ±1.3 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±2.0 pts | 48.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 67.3% ±3.1 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 17.7% ±2.4 pts | 43.6% | −2.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.1% ±1.8 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±0.6 pts | 9.2% | −1.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±1.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 46.1% ±3.1 pts | 29.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 70.6% ±2.9 pts | 38.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.4% ±1.6 pts | 12.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.4% ±1.1 pts | 3.1% | −4.0 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 70.3% ±2.6 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.2% ±2.1 pts | 50.6% | +3.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.9% ±1.1 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.1% ±2.3 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±0.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chelsea earn?
Half of Chelsea's 13,716 households earn less than $72,179 a year (±$7,994), against $95,631 in Suffolk County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $69,906 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chelsea | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,179 ±$7,994 | $95,631 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,358 ±$5,946 | $139,201 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,986 ±$1,948 | $58,636 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.7% ±3.3 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.4% ±6.3 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.3% ±3.0 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.3% ±2.1 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.6% ±2.6 pts | 91.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chelsea?
Owners occupy 26.0% of Chelsea's occupied homes and renters 74.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $493,500 by its owner (±$23,573). The median renter pays $1,956 a month including utilities, and 49.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chelsea | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $493,500 ±$23,573 | $705,800 | +$61,773 |
| Median gross rent | $1,956 ±$96 | $2,129 | +$210 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 49.4% ±4.7 pts | 42.1% | +7.8 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,608 ±$137 | $2,962 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 26.0% ±3.2 pts | 36.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 74.0% ±3.2 pts | 63.5% | – |
| Housing units | 14,165 ±629 | 357,290 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.9% ±1.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 8.4% ±2.2 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.8% ±1.5 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 49.6% ±3.4 pts | 45.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 28.4% ±3.3 pts | 31.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Chelsea building?
Builders took permits for 71 new housing units in Chelsea in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 1.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Chelsea work and get to work?
46.1% of Chelsea's workers drive alone and 10.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.2%.
| Measure | Chelsea | Suffolk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.2% ±2.4 pts | 69.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.2% ±2.6 pts | 6.3% | +4.5 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 46.1% ±3.6 pts | 35.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.8% ±3.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 20.9% ±3.0 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Walked | 5.3% ±1.4 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.4% ±2.3 pts | 19.9% | +8.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.9 min ±1.6 | 30.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chelsea?
9 census tracts lie mostly in Chelsea (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $53,168 (Tract 1605.01) to $100,917 (Tract 1606.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1605.01Suffolk County | 5,576 | $53,168 |
| Tract 1605.02Suffolk County | 5,352 | $64,167 |
| Tract 1606.02Suffolk County | 4,941 | $70,800 |
| Tract 1606.01Suffolk County | 4,901 | $100,917 |
| Tract 1601.03Suffolk County | 4,838 | $75,169 |
| Tract 1602Suffolk County | 4,703 | $76,067 |
| Tract 1601.02Suffolk County | 3,652 | $78,664 |
| Tract 1604Suffolk County | 3,614 | $72,711 |
| Tract 1603Suffolk County | 2,331 | $77,750 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chelsea) · Census block assignment files
How does Chelsea compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chelsea is the 1,036th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 37th-most populous of 58 in Massachusetts.
Chelsea ranks 405th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 37th | 58 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 269th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd | 461 |
| Median household income | 405th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 444th | 460 |
| Median home value | 254th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 99th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 9th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 439th | 459 |
| Median age | 446th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 460th | 460 |
| Work from home | 371st | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 125th | 459 |
Chelsea's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Chelsea with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chelsea?
6 of the 57 figures for Chelsea on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chelsea are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chelsea.