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Living in
Chelsea.
About
Life in Chelsea
This fast-growing suburb about 19 miles northeast of Birmingham offers the appeal of newer construction and spacious living without the urban density, though you're trading convenience for a distinctly car-dependent lifestyle. The median household income sits at $115,337 with a median home value around $360,000, making it affordable compared to many suburban markets, and the job market is solid with unemployment at just 2.3%—though most employment will require that 34-minute average commute into Birmingham or other regional centers. The community skews family-oriented with nearly 28% of residents under 18 and strong household stability, built on a foundation of relatively recent incorporation (1996) that's still shaping the city's identity and infrastructure.
Chelsea at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Foreign-Born
2.9%
Broadband Internet
96.8%
of households
Population Growth
+17.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Chelsea: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Chelsea, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (32.2%), and 3.6% of residents speak Arabic at home.
Under 18
25.1%
of residents
65 and Older
15.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.7%
of households
Married Couples
75.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.83
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 40% above AL average
Rent, home values, and income in Chelsea
In Chelsea, rent runs 40% above the AL average, and home values are 72% above the AL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
13.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
7.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,393
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
90.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2007
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $383,933 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below AL average
Unemployment in Chelsea and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Shelby County, which includes Chelsea, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the AL average.
Unemployment rate
Chelsea: Shelby County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Shelby County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Chelsea Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Birmingham-Hoover, AL metro area
Commute33.2 min avg
How Chelsea residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Chelsea, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 37% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 129 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 64% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, which covers Chelsea, runs 64% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
117.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
381.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Shelby County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Shelby County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Shelby County, which includes Chelsea, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Hail | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Drought | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Shelby County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shelby County, which includes Chelsea, is typically good.
Median AQI
36
Shelby County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Chelsea has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
87
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
51
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 35°F | 5.10" |
| Feb | 60°F | 38°F | 5.58" |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 5.34" |
| Apr | 76°F | 51°F | 5.18" |
| May | 83°F | 60°F | 4.15" |
| Jun | 90°F | 68°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 4.76" |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 4.42" |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 3.93" |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 3.62" |
| Nov | 65°F | 42°F | 4.66" |
| Dec | 57°F | 37°F | 4.65" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Chelsea
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Chelsea's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Grandview Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.1 mi away · Birmingham
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.4 mi away · Alabaster
Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 mi away · Birmingham
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Chelsea
Chelsea's student/teacher ratio is 18.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 48.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
48.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Chelsea (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,206 students · in-state tuition $41,910 · 78% graduate · median earnings $66,982 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, 18 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Chelsea
Chelsea has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument (18 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
18 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
47 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
57 mi awaySelma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
72 mi awayTuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
National Historic Site
81 mi awayTuskegee Institute National Historic Site
National Historic Site
81 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Chelsea
Chelsea Public Library
16623 Highway 80, Chelsea
Cities Near Chelsea
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Chelsea?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Chelsea FAQ
Is Chelsea, Alabama affordable?⌄
Chelsea's median rent is $1,414/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $115,337/year. Median home value is $360,000.
Is Chelsea, Alabama safe?⌄
Chelsea is policed by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 118 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 382 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Chelsea, Alabama?⌄
Shelby County, which includes Chelsea, has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Chelsea, Alabama?⌄
The cost of living in Chelsea is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,414/month and median household income is $115,337/year. The median home value is $360,000. About 14% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Chelsea, Alabama?⌄
The average commute in Chelsea is 33 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from