Population 10,173 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Chelmsford
Household size in North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.27 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.73 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.38 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in North Chelmsford average 2.73 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area as a whole, where it has 2.55 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.35, even as the national average fell.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of North Chelmsford is 43.1 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.9, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the north.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in North Chelmsford (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 5.4 points, even as the national share fell. North Chelmsford has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 North Chelmsford
Renters in North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
North Chelmsford is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 24.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.1% of homes in North Chelmsford are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. North Chelmsford has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in North Chelmsford leans older: the median home dates to 1972, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,066 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,008 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,534 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,930 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$864 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in North Chelmsford runs $1,930 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $864 a month from 2006–10, an 81% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 38.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 North Chelmsford
Bachelor's degrees in North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.9% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.1% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.8% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North Chelmsford: 47.8% 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. Locally, though, the share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). The share with a degree has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over nine in ten adults in North Chelmsford have finished high school (92.8%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 North Chelmsford
| Period | North Chelmsford | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in North Chelmsford has been low: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Chelmsford | 2.73 | 43.1 | 12.9% | 18.0% | 3.1% | 1972 | $1,930 | 47.8% | 92.8% | 2.7% |
| Tyngsboro | 2.98 | 38.7 | 10.4% | 13.6% | 4.5% | 1989 | $2,171 | 52.3% | 94.9% | 5.5% |
| Chelmsford | 2.75 | 42.8 | 5.9% | 17.7% | 6.7% | 1969 | $2,251 | 55.5% | 93.9% | 6.6% |
| 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% |
| Graniteville | 2.81 | 42.3 | 6.3% | 11.3% | 2.5% | 1990 | $2,789 | 74.4% | 97.9% | 1.8% |
| Dracut | 2.71 | 43.0 | 9.6% | 20.1% | 5.3% | 1974 | $1,827 | 36.6% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| Dunstable | 3.06 | 43.5 | 4.6% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 1986 | $1,334 | 61.5% | 94.8% | 5.1% |
| North Billerica | 2.59 | 40.0 | 11.7% | 28.7% | 1.0% | 1982 | $2,125 | 40.9% | 92.1% | 5.7% |
| Carlisle | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.3% | 6.4% | 2.3% | 1976 | $2,354 | 87.4% | 98.9% | 4.1% |
| Pelham | 2.91 | 40.4 | 9.1% | 13.2% | 3.1% | 1986 | $1,544 | 40.6% | 96.6% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Villas, NJ · Catlettsburg, KY · Catskill, NY · Center Valley, PA · Chester, NJ · Valley Center, KS · Vandalia, IL · Venetia, PA · Vicksburg, MI · Victoria, 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 North 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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