Population 12,109 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Chelsea
Household size in Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Chelsea are small: just 2.32 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.52, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.7 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.7 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 49.7, Chelsea is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.0, in line with the national trend. Only 16 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people are older.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Chelsea: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points, mirroring the country. Only 17 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Chelsea
Renters in Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.9% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Chelsea is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 31.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.5 points, as it has nationally.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Chelsea: just 5.4% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Chelsea was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Michigan overall, where the median home dates to 1972. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,277 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,023 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,201 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,699 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$422 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Chelsea pays $1,699 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $422 a month since 2006–10, up 33%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the center.
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 Chelsea
Bachelor's degrees in Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.6% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.0% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Chelsea: 52.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 9.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.8% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Chelsea: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 16 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Chelsea
| Period | Chelsea | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Chelsea than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Chelsea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 2.32 | 49.7 | 4.7% | 21.9% | 5.4% | 1982 | $1,699 | 52.9% | 97.8% | 3.7% |
| Lima Center | 2.84 | 41.0 | 4.2% | 10.1% | 3.5% | 1995 | $2,390 | 52.9% | 99.0% | 2.3% |
| Waterloo | 2.53 | 50.3 | 4.9% | 4.7% | 8.5% | 1973 | $1,458 | 44.5% | 94.9% | 4.6% |
| Unadilla | 2.27 | 58.4 | 5.4% | 8.8% | 16.6% | 1979 | $1,293 | 27.2% | 92.6% | 6.0% |
| Dexter | 2.68 | 45.8 | 8.4% | 10.9% | 4.4% | 1989 | $1,887 | 67.5% | 98.1% | 2.7% |
| Hudson Mills | 1.73 | 59.7 | 13.7% | 18.7% | 7.6% | 1960 | $1,225 | 36.4% | 97.8% | 0.0% |
| Hell | 2.40 | 53.0 | 6.3% | 7.5% | 13.7% | 1978 | $1,243 | 41.4% | 99.4% | 2.5% |
| Grass Lake | 2.49 | 46.5 | 4.2% | 8.8% | 5.5% | 1984 | $1,164 | 33.7% | 95.2% | 2.1% |
| Trist | 2.37 | 52.7 | 4.2% | 5.8% | 8.4% | 1991 | $1,107 | 30.7% | 98.0% | 5.5% |
| Gregory | 2.42 | 54.3 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 13.7% | 1983 | $1,106 | 30.0% | 95.0% | 3.6% |
| Williamsville | 2.30 | 53.5 | 6.6% | 12.5% | 8.6% | 1977 | $976 | 27.5% | 94.1% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Maysville, KY · Norwich, NY · Northport, NY · North Valley, NM · North Merrick, NY · North Haledon, NJ · North Billerica, MA · North Bellport, NY · Nokomis, FL · Noble, OK
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 Chelsea. 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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