What is the median household income in Chelsea, MA?
The median household income in Chelsea, MA is $72,179 (±$7,994) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Paying the median gross rent of $1,956 a month would take about $78,200 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.
In Chelsea, the median household income went from $56,802 in 2015–2019 to $72,179 in 2020–2024 (+27.1%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.
Figures last updated on .
- Median household income
- $72,179 (±$7,994)
- Median renter income
- $54,406 (±$8,908)
- Income to afford median rent
- about $78,200
Income in Chelsea against Suffolk County, its state and the nation
| Chelsea | Suffolk County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,179 (±$7,994) | $95,631 (±$1,765) | $103,960 (±$527) | $80,734 |
| Median renter household income | $54,406 (±$8,908) | $69,876 (±$1,697) | $60,987 (±$576) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $120,257 (±$19,997) | $148,570 (±$3,769) | $135,402 (±$770) | $100,009 |
| Median gross rent | $1,956 (±$96) | $2,129 (±$24) | $1,762 (±$9) | $1,413 |
In Chelsea, median household income is lower than in Suffolk County ($95,631).
It is also lower than in Massachusetts ($103,960).
It is lower than the national figure ($80,734).
In Suffolk County, Chelsea ranks 4 of 4 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.
Statewide, it ranks 321 of 349.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How much you need to earn to rent in Chelsea
Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.
At that guideline, the median gross rent of $1,956 a month ($23,472 a year) needs an income of about $78,200 a year.
The median renting household in Chelsea earns $54,406 a year, less than that.
This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.
Income against housing costs since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,802 (±$4,967) | $72,179 (±$7,994) | +27.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median gross rent | $1,419 (±$51) | $1,956 (±$96) | +37.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $350,800 (±$16,728) | $493,500 (±$23,573) | +40.7% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median household income in places near Chelsea
| Place | Distance | Median household income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | — | $72,179 (±$7,994) | — |
| Everett | 1.3 mi | $85,218 (±$7,101) | Higher |
| Malden | 2.6 mi | $100,606 (±$6,482) | Higher |
| Revere | 2.7 mi | $86,969 (±$10,489) | Higher |
| Winthrop Town | 3.4 mi | $116,167 (±$10,733) | Higher |
| Somerville | 3.6 mi | $132,572 (±$6,106) | Higher |
| Boston | 4.1 mi | $97,344 (±$1,837) | Higher |
| Melrose | 4.3 mi | $133,953 (±$14,410) | Higher |
| Medford | 4.4 mi | $129,540 (±$7,926) | Higher |
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Everett, MA ($85,218), Malden, MA ($100,606), Revere, MA ($86,969).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median household income across Suffolk County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winthrop Town | $116,167 (±$10,733) |
| 2 | Boston | $97,344 (±$1,837) |
| 3 | Revere | $86,969 (±$10,489) |
| 4 | Chelsea | $72,179 (±$7,994) |
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Chelsea
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Questions about Chelsea
What is the median household income in Chelsea?
The median household income in Chelsea is $72,179 (±$7,994) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How much do you need to make to afford rent in Chelsea?
About $78,200 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $1,956 a month.
Have incomes in Chelsea kept up with inflation?
In Chelsea, the median household income went from $56,802 in 2015–2019 to $72,179 in 2020–2024 (+27.1%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.
What do renters earn in Chelsea?
The median renting household in Chelsea, MA earns $54,406 (±$8,908) a year.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chelsea city, Massachusetts
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Chelsea city, Massachusetts (place:13205, in state:25).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
- Housing in Chelsea at a glance
- Median rent in Chelsea
- Rent by bedrooms in Chelsea
- Rent burden in Chelsea
- Renters and owners in Chelsea
- Home values in Chelsea
- Homeowner costs in Chelsea
- Property taxes in Chelsea
- Types of homes in Chelsea
- Bedrooms in Chelsea
- Age of homes in Chelsea
- Vacancy rate in Chelsea
- Heating fuel in Chelsea
- Commute and cars in Chelsea
- Crime reported to police in Chelsea
- Population growth in Chelsea
- How long people stay in Chelsea
- Crowding and facilities in Chelsea
- Massachusetts landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Suffolk County
- Massachusetts places ranked by median household income
- Housing data for every place in Massachusetts