Chelsea, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Chelsea, MA Summary

Cost of living in Chelsea research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chelsea is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Chelsea is 127, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chelsea is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #44 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 113.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #5,140 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chelsea is $383,800.

  • The median income in Chelsea is $64,782.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
127
Chelsea's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chelsea, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chelsea has an overall cost of living index of 127, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Chelsea has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Massachusetts's index of 143.

The standard of living in Chelsea ranks as #44 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Chelsea ranks as the #69 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Chelsea, check out:

44 out of 113
In Massachusetts
5,140 out of 6,412
In America

Chelsea Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chelsea. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Chelsea is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Chelsea is 111.

  • The Health index in Chelsea is 123.

  • The Housing index in Chelsea is 142.

  • The Transportation index in Chelsea is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Chelsea is 121.

Living Expense Chelsea Massachusetts National Average
Overall 127 143 100
Services 128 126 100
Groceries 111 108 100
Health 123 117 100
Housing 142 202 100
Transportation 110 114 100
Utilities 121 123 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Chelsea Cost of Living Vs. MA

Chelsea, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chelsea is $383,800.

  • The Median Rent in Chelsea is $1,639.

  • The Median Income in Chelsea is $64,782.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chelsea is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chelsea is 0.3x.

Statistic Chelsea Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $383,800 $424,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,639 $1,429 $1,163
Median Income $64,782 $89,026 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.9x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.3x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Chelsea, MA
$383,800
Median Home Value
$1,639
Median Rent
$64,782
Median Income

Chelsea, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Chelsea Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Chelsea Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $14.43 $10.68
Bowling $21.0 $14.67
Haircut $34.97 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.17 $39.05

Detailed Chelsea Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Chelsea Massachusetts
Ground Beef $3.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.27 $2.05
Potatoes $4.02 $3.29
Pizza $11.16 $10.62
Beer $9.29 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.3 $2.34

Detailed Chelsea Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Chelsea Massachusetts
Optometrist $102.75 $108.57
Doctor $194.0 $116.17
Dentist $108.27 $99.13

Detailed Chelsea Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Chelsea Massachusetts
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $64.47 $50.07

Detailed Chelsea Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Chelsea Massachusetts
All Electricity $233.87 $167.67
Phone $181.11 $175.64

Chelsea SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chelsea

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chelsea. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Boston, MA has a cost of living index of 148, 1.2x Chelsea.

  • Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 172, 1.4x Chelsea.

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.5x Chelsea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chelsea
Boston, MA 672,814 148 1.2x
Cambridge, MA 116,892 172 1.4x
Newton, MA 88,647 192 1.5x
Somerville, MA 80,608 158 1.2x
Malden, MA 65,602 137 1.1x
Brookline, MA 62,620 191 1.5x
Revere, MA 60,720 134 1.1x
Medford, MA 60,708 147 1.2x
Everett, MA 48,368 137 1.1x
Lexington, MA 34,235 190 1.5x

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