Greater Boston · Town guide
Living in Chelsea, MA.
A small, dense city directly across the Mystic from Boston, with commuter rail, fast bus service, and a housing stock of triple-deckers and newer condos.
Chelsea at a glance
- Median single-family
- $703,500
- ▲ 11.5% vs. last year
- Median condo
- $472,500
- ▲ 9.2% vs. last year
- Days on market
- 29
- single-family, year to date
- Sale vs. original list
- 98.2%
- single-family, year to date
- Residential tax rate
- $11.48
- per $1,000, FY2026
- Population
- 40,245
- 2024 Census estimate, −1.2% since 2020
- To Boston
- 2 mi
- straight line to City Hall
- MBTA rail & ferry
- Commuter rail
Chelsea market · August 2026 year to date
The numbers, before the opinions.
| Measure | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $703,500 | $472,500 |
| Change vs. last year | ▲ 11.5% | ▲ 9.2% |
| Sales closed | 14 | 60 |
| Median days on market | 29 | 57 |
| Sale price vs. original list | 98.2% | 97.8% |
| For sale at month end | 9 | 32 |
| Months of supply | 4.5 | 4.1 |
Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Chelsea 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 Chelsea compare with nearby towns?
| Town | Median single-family | Median condo | Days on market | Tax rate (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | $703,500 ▲ 11.5% | $472,500 | 29 | $11.48 |
| Everett | $700,000 ▲ 3.3% | $465,000 | 38 | $12.62 |
| Revere | $652,500 ▼ 3.3% | $450,000 | 37 | $8.94 |
| Boston | $877,500 ▼ 3.6% | $785,000 | 43 | $12.40 |
| Malden | $725,000 ▲ 0.7% | $430,000 | 35 | $11.40 |
| Somerville | $1,375,000 ▼ 10.7% | $865,000 | 47 | $10.98 |
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 Chelsea.
What is it like to live in Chelsea?
Chelsea is one of the smallest and densest cities in Massachusetts, directly across the river from Boston. It's minutes from downtown and the airport, with commuter rail and bus rapid transit connections.
Its housing is largely multifamily, with newer condo developments in a few areas.
What are Chelsea's neighborhoods like?
A quick orientation, not a ranking:
| Area | What it's like | Worth a look if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Bellingham Square | The downtown center | Central city living |
| Admiral's Hill | Hilltop condos and townhomes with views | Views and a quieter setting |
| Near the waterfront | Mixed residential and industrial areas | Proximity to Boston |
What does housing look like in Chelsea?
Chelsea is mostly two- and three-family homes and condos, with relatively few single-families. The single-family median is based on a small number of sales.
How is the commute from Chelsea to Boston?
Chelsea has a commuter rail station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line and bus rapid transit (the Silver Line) toward the Seaport and airport. Route 1 and the Tobin Bridge connect by car.
Where do people spend time in Chelsea?
- Mary O'Malley Park on the waterfront
- Bellingham Square
- Views of Boston from Admiral's Hill
What should buyers and sellers know about Chelsea?
- Chelsea is block by block; compare within the neighborhood.
- Homes near Route 1 and industrial areas can have noise.
- Most sales are multifamily or condo; the single-family median is thin.
For public school information, see the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's school and district profiles (Chelsea Public Schools).
Questions people actually ask.
How do you get from Chelsea to Boston?
By commuter rail on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, by the Silver Line bus rapid transit, or over the Tobin Bridge by car.
What kind of housing is in Chelsea?
Mostly two- and three-families and condos, with relatively few single-family homes.
MBTA stations in Chelsea
- Commuter rail: Chelsea (Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Monthly cost calculator
What would a Chelsea home cost per month?
Pre-filled with Chelsea'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 Chelsea
Three ways to start.
Buy in Chelsea
What homes here actually sell for, what they cost to own, and an offer strategy you can defend.
Buying with XavierSell in Chelsea
A price grounded in Chelsea sales, a plan for what to fix, and a clear read on every offer.
Get a home valuationInvest in Chelsea
Two- and three-families run as numbers: rents, expenses, financing, and condition.
Multifamily & investingQuick answers about Chelsea.
What is the median home price in Chelsea, MA?
The median single-family sale price in Chelsea was $703,500 for August 2026 year to date, compared with $631,000 for the same period a year earlier. The median condo sold for $472,500. Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MLS PIN data).
How fast are homes selling in Chelsea?
Single-family homes that sold in Chelsea during August 2026 year to date spent a median of about 29 days on market and sold for 98.2% of their original list price on average, according to MAR.
What is the property tax rate in Chelsea, MA?
Chelsea's FY2026 residential property tax rate is $11.48 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 $8,080 a year; your actual bill depends on the assessed value.
Is there public transit from Chelsea to Boston?
Yes. MBTA service in Chelsea: commuter rail: Chelsea (Newburyport/Rockport Line). Check the MBTA's current schedules for times.
MLS listings
Chelsea homes for sale right now.
Active and coming-soon listings in Chelsea, 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 Chelsea search in a new tab (opens in a new tab). Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Buying or selling here?
Interested in Chelsea?
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 Chelsea specifically.
More Greater Boston towns
- Boston
- Cambridge
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- Brookline
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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.