Population 26,584 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chelmsford
Household size in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Chelmsford holds 2.75 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.59, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.8 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Chelmsford skews older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in Chelmsford, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Chelmsford
Renters in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Chelmsford is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 35.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Chelmsford: 6.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Chelmsford is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,204 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,239 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,548 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,251 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,047 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Chelmsford pays $2,251 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,047 a month from 2006–10, an 87% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Chelmsford
Bachelor's degrees in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Chelmsford is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (55.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.2% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Chelmsford is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.2 points, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Chelmsford
| Period | Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Chelmsford than nationally: unemployment was 6.6%, against 5.4%. Chelmsford has higher unemployment than the great majority of Massachusetts cities. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Chelmsford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford | 2.75 | 42.8 | 5.9% | 17.7% | 6.7% | 1969 | $2,251 | 55.5% | 93.9% | 6.6% |
| North Chelmsford | 2.73 | 43.1 | 12.9% | 18.0% | 3.1% | 1972 | $1,930 | 47.8% | 92.8% | 2.7% |
| North Billerica | 2.59 | 40.0 | 11.7% | 28.7% | 1.0% | 1982 | $2,125 | 40.9% | 92.1% | 5.7% |
| Lowell | 2.73 | 35.4 | 17.8% | 56.8% | 5.3% | 1953 | $1,628 | 29.2% | 82.6% | 5.8% |
| Westford | 2.84 | 43.8 | 7.1% | 14.2% | 6.2% | 1979 | $2,806 | 73.9% | 97.7% | 4.9% |
| Carlisle | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.3% | 6.4% | 2.3% | 1976 | $2,354 | 87.4% | 98.9% | 4.1% |
| Riverside | 3.15 | 45.3 | 6.8% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1978 | $3,501 | 88.7% | 98.2% | 2.4% |
| Billerica | 2.65 | 44.4 | 8.7% | 21.8% | 1.8% | 1973 | $2,337 | 40.6% | 95.0% | 3.1% |
| Graniteville | 2.81 | 42.3 | 6.3% | 11.3% | 2.5% | 1990 | $2,789 | 74.4% | 97.9% | 1.8% |
| Tyngsboro | 2.98 | 38.7 | 10.4% | 13.6% | 4.5% | 1989 | $2,171 | 52.3% | 94.9% | 5.5% |
| Dracut | 2.71 | 43.0 | 9.6% | 20.1% | 5.3% | 1974 | $1,827 | 36.6% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Red Bluff, CA · Lapeer, MI · Leisure City, FL · Alabaster, AL · Macungie, PA · Murrells Inlet, SC · Peyton, CO · Plum, PA · Powell, TN · Ramsey, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Chelmsford. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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