City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Chelsea, MI

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.

5,420
Residents
$71,702
Median income
$301,100
Median home
$1,656
Median rent (state)

Chelsea - the verdict

Chelsea ranks in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
65th
percentile, median rent
66th
percentile, safety
📝 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, MI

Chelsea is a small town in Michigan, home to 5,420 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Chelsea brings in $71,702 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.6%. Home values in Chelsea run a median of $301,100, and the median resident age is 50.8 years. About 50.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 4 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 73% from five years earlier. Chelsea reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 937.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 48.3°F with 34.7 inches of precipitation per year and 32.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Michigan at 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,656 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $238 across Michigan, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.2 minutes, with 69.9% driving alone and 20.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 89.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

5,420 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$71,702 /yr

Poverty 0.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan 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 52% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 65% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Michigan alone, Chelsea ranks #96 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Michigan-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Chelsea's strongest outlier among Michigan cities

Among the 727 Michigan cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Chelsea ranks #1 - the 99th 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
#217 of 718
70th percentile in Michigan
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 727
99th percentile in Michigan
Median Home Value
#76 of 721
89th percentile in Michigan
Poverty Rate
#658 of 727
9th percentile in Michigan
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#63 of 727
91st percentile in Michigan

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 Michigan only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

52ndIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Chelsea's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Chelsea's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 51 Avg. percentile National median
Chelsea's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Chelsea's home value compares nationally

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

$301,100 35th percentile more affordable than 35% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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, MI Chelsea, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chelsea, MI-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, MI median $71,702/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, MI'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, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.2%

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

Population
5,420
Median Income
$71,702
Median Home Value
$301,100
Median Age
50.8
Poverty Rate
0.6%
Labor force participation
52.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
937.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
150.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
787.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.3°F
Annual Precipitation
34.7"
Annual Snowfall
32.9"

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 →
5,300 residents5,350 residents5,400 residents5,450 residents5,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,445 residents 5,424 residents ▼ -0.4%
Chelsea's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 15
2020 2
2021 2
2022 5
2023 2
2024 4

Permit volume decreased 73% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
69.9%
Carpool
4.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
20.2%
Other
1.7%

Based on 2,395 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan 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 Michigan 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
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,656/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Springfield
5,295 people
Grosse Pointe
5,561 people
St. Clair
5,581 people
Dundee
5,584 people
Gladstone
5,240 people
Eaton Rapids
5,197 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chelsea's 5,420 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Hills, NY
5,419 people
Tyrone, PA
5,421 people
Zephyrhills South, FL
5,422 people
Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD
5,418 people
Waynesville, MO
5,422 people
Cocoa West, FL
5,416 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chelsea's $71,702 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

White, GA
$71,705 median income
Brushy, OK
$71,696 median income
Clyman, WI
$71,696 median income
Golden Grove, SC
$71,694 median income
Jacona, NM
$71,691 median income
Thompsonville, CT
$71,714 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chelsea, MI 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, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.5% White 95.8% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 3.2% 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 Michigan 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) 5,420 $71,702
Springfield 5,295 $43,681
Grosse Pointe 5,561 $141,985
St. Clair 5,581 $68,482
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chelsea, MI?

What is the population of Chelsea, MI? +

Chelsea, MI counts 5,420 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Chelsea households earn a median of $71,702 annually, 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 Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Chelsea, MI safe? +

Chelsea has a total crime rate of 937.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Chelsea's median home value sits at $301,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Chelsea? +

Climate normals put Chelsea's yearly average temperature at 48.3°F, 34.7 inches of precipitation, and 32.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.