Merrimack Valley · Town guide
Living in Chelmsford, MA.
A suburban town at Route 3 and I-495 with a historic center, a rail trail, and a steady single-family market.
Chelmsford at a glance
- Median single-family
- $740,000
- ▲ 1.4% vs. last year
- Median condo
- $453,850
- ▲ 4.9% vs. last year
- Days on market
- 32
- single-family, year to date
- Sale vs. original list
- 101.9%
- single-family, year to date
- Residential tax rate
- $13.27
- per $1,000, FY2026
- Population
- 36,953
- 2024 Census estimate, +1.6% since 2020
- To Boston
- 22 mi
- straight line to City Hall
- MBTA rail & ferry
- No MBTA rail station in town
Chelmsford market · August 2026 year to date
The numbers, before the opinions.
| Measure | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $740,000 | $453,850 |
| Change vs. last year | ▲ 1.4% | ▲ 4.9% |
| Sales closed | 145 | 100 |
| Median days on market | 32 | 33 |
| Sale price vs. original list | 101.9% | 100.1% |
| For sale at month end | 25 | 27 |
| Months of supply | 1.4 | 2.4 |
Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Chelmsford Local Market Update (PDF, opens in a new tab) (MLS PIN data). Year-to-date figures except homes for sale and months of supply, which are for the latest month. A town median is a starting point; the right price is street by street.
Side by side · August 2026 year to date
How does Chelmsford compare with nearby towns?
| Town | Median single-family | Median condo | Days on market | Tax rate (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford | $740,000 ▲ 1.4% | $453,850 | 32 | $13.27 |
| Lowell | $544,000 ▲ 3.4% | $345,000 | 33 | $11.35 |
| Billerica | $712,500 ▼ 1.7% | $492,000 | 39 | $11.61 |
| Dracut | $599,900 ▲ 2.2% | $392,000 | 28 | $9.67 |
| Tewksbury | $760,000 ▲ 2.4% | $528,500 | 30 | $12.56 |
| Wilmington | $795,000 ▲ 3.9% | $643,750 | 28 | $11.41 |
Year-to-date medians from each town's MAR Local Market Update; tax rates per $1,000 from the Mass. Division of Local Services. Nearby = closest town centers among the towns I cover.
Town guide
What it's like to live in Chelmsford.
What is it like to live in Chelmsford?
Chelmsford is a classic suburb at the crossroads of Route 3 and I-495, with a historic town center, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, and villages like North Chelmsford.
It's popular with commuters to the Route 128 and I-495 employment corridors.
What are Chelmsford's neighborhoods like?
A quick orientation, not a ranking:
| Area | What it's like | Worth a look if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford Center | Historic center with shops and the town common | A walkable center |
| North Chelmsford | Village area near the Lowell line | An older village feel |
| South & East Chelmsford | Suburban neighborhoods | Space and highway access |
What does housing look like in Chelmsford?
Chelmsford is mostly single-family, with capes, ranches, colonials, and split-levels, plus condo complexes.
How is the commute from Chelmsford to Boston?
Chelmsford has no MBTA rail station. Residents use Lowell's station or drive via Route 3 and I-495.
Where do people spend time in Chelmsford?
- The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
- Chelmsford Center and the town common
- Conservation areas and ponds
What should buyers and sellers know about Chelmsford?
- Chelmsford's FY2026 residential tax rate is on the higher side for the region; use the calculator on this page.
- No rail in town; map your commute.
For public school information, see the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's school and district profiles (Chelmsford Public Schools).
Questions people actually ask.
Does Chelmsford have a train?
No. Residents commonly use the Lowell commuter rail station or drive via Route 3.
What is Chelmsford known for?
A historic center, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, and quick access to Route 3 and I-495.
Monthly cost calculator
What would a Chelmsford home cost per month?
Pre-filled with Chelmsford's median single-family price and its FY2026 tax rate. Change anything. This is an estimate for planning, not a loan quote.
How I help in Chelmsford
Three ways to start.
Buy in Chelmsford
What homes here actually sell for, what they cost to own, and an offer strategy you can defend.
Buying with XavierSell in Chelmsford
A price grounded in Chelmsford sales, a plan for what to fix, and a clear read on every offer.
Get a home valuationInvest in Chelmsford
Two- and three-families run as numbers: rents, expenses, financing, and condition.
Multifamily & investingQuick answers about Chelmsford.
What is the median home price in Chelmsford, MA?
The median single-family sale price in Chelmsford was $740,000 for August 2026 year to date, compared with $730,000 for the same period a year earlier. The median condo sold for $453,850. Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MLS PIN data).
How fast are homes selling in Chelmsford?
Single-family homes that sold in Chelmsford during August 2026 year to date spent a median of about 32 days on market and sold for 101.9% of their original list price on average, according to MAR.
What is the property tax rate in Chelmsford, MA?
Chelmsford's FY2026 residential property tax rate is $13.27 per $1,000 of assessed value (Massachusetts Division of Local Services). On a home assessed at the median single-family sale price, that's roughly $9,820 a year; your actual bill depends on the assessed value.
Is there a train from Chelmsford to Boston?
There's no MBTA rail station in Chelmsford. It's about 22 miles from Boston in a straight line; most residents drive or use a station in a nearby town.
MLS listings
Chelmsford homes for sale right now.
Active and coming-soon listings in Chelmsford, through my Ruuster home search. Save a search to hear about new ones as they come on.
Search provided by Ruuster via HomeBase. Open the full Chelmsford search in a new tab (opens in a new tab). Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Buying or selling here?
Interested in Chelmsford?
Tell me what you're weighing: a street, a price range, a timeline. I'll send the recent sales that matter and what I'd watch for in Chelmsford specifically.
More Merrimack Valley towns
- Haverhill
- Lowell
- Lawrence
- Methuen
- Andover
- North Andover
- Dracut
- Tewksbury
- Billerica
- Groveland
- Amesbury
- Newburyport
- All towns
Sources: market figures, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Local Market Update (data: MLS PIN; © ShowingTime Plus); tax rate, Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Municipal Databank, Tax Rates by Class; population, U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates for cities and towns; stations, MBTA (V3 API); distance, OpenStreetMap Nominatim (town center); miles are straight-line to Boston City Hall. Numbers retrieved 2026-09-25.