Town · Vermont
Chelsea, Vermont
Chelsea, town, in Orange County, Vermont. Chelsea had 1,252 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,233 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,223 (±205). GEOID 5001713525.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,252
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,233 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,223 ±205
Median household income
$65,913
±$13,458 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$260,900
±$38,848 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$1,524
±$467 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Chelsea and what county is it in?
Chelsea is a town in Orange County, Vermont. It covers 40.1 square miles of land, 31 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Chelsea: Chelsea (CDP, 342 in 2020).
Chelsea is in the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 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 1,252 people lived in Chelsea on July 1, 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, faster than Vermont (+0.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,233 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,223 (±205).
| Measure | Chelsea | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,223±205 | 29,761 | no clear change |
| Households | 527±77 | 12,742 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28±0.26 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 720±102 | 15,078 | no clear change |
Chelsea's population since 2000
From 1,250 in 2000 to 1,252 in 2025: up 0.2%. 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 54.1 years old; 21.9% are under 18 and 29.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.2%.
| Measure | Chelsea | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1±12.1 | 46.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.9%±6.4 pts | 17.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.4%±6.6 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Male | 50.9%±3.5 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 1.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.8%±3.9 pts | 92.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.6%±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.2%±3.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.2%±2.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.9%±1.1 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.0%±2.3 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 21.2%±6.7 pts | 17.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.8%±1.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.5%±2.7 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.6%±7.3 pts | 38.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.6%±3.5 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.5%±5.2 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3%±1.4 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 527 households earn less than $65,913 a year (±$13,458), against $82,232 in Orange County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 it was $64,369 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chelsea | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,913±$13,458 | $82,232 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,044±$11,529 | $102,249 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,887±$5,569 | $43,536 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.3%±8.2 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.0%±19.6 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.2%±4.8 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.5%±6.3 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.9%±6.8 pts | 88.3% | – |
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 81.2% of Chelsea's occupied homes and renters 18.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $260,900 by its owner (±$38,848). The median renter pays $1,524 a month including utilities, and 51.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chelsea | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $260,900±$38,848 | $271,300 | +$71,127 |
| Median gross rent | $1,524±$467 | $1,173 | +$635 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.0%±27.5 pts | 38.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,525±$204 | $1,747 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.2%±6.6 pts | 83.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.8%±6.6 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Housing units | 720±102 | 15,078 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7%±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±22.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.0%±6.9 pts | 80.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 14.3%±6.4 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±3.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.3%±2.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 39.3%±8.5 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2%±3.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 0 new housing units in Chelsea in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Vermont.
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?
68.7% of Chelsea's workers drive alone and 12.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.0 minutes.
| Measure | Chelsea | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.8%±6.7 pts | 63.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0%±1.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.7%±8.6 pts | 69.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.7%±8.9 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±5.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.0%±2.1 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.6%±7.6 pts | 15.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.0 min±5.5 | 26.2 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?
No census tract lies mostly in Chelsea; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9595Orange County | 4,690 | $86,083 |
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 Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chelsea is the 6,709th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 131st-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Chelsea ranks 155th of 198 places in Vermont with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 131st | 237 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 41st | 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 171st | 202 |
| Median household income | 155th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 178th | 202 |
| Median home value | 126th | 201 |
| Median gross rent | 24th | 187 |
| Poverty rate | 39th | 162 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 159th | 200 |
| Median age | 11th | 202 |
| Owner-occupied share | 98th | 201 |
| Work from home | 127th | 185 |
| Travel time to work | 36th | 202 |
Chelsea's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, 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?
17 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' school search.