Chelsea, MA Cost Of Living
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 141, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chelsea is 1.4x higher than the national average.
Chelsea ranks as the #59 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Chelsea ranks as the #5,438 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chelsea is $525,717.
The median income in Chelsea is $72,220.
Table Of Contents
Chelsea's Overall Cost Of Living
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 141, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Chelsea has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Chelsea ranks as #59 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Chelsea ranks as the #53 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Chelsea, check out:
In Massachusetts
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 120.
The Groceries index in Chelsea is 106.
The Health index in Chelsea is 113.
The Housing index in Chelsea is 185.
The Transportation index in Chelsea is 119.
The Utilities index in Chelsea is 132.
| Living Expense | Chelsea | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 141 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 120 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 185 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 119 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 132 | 136 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Chelsea is $525,717.
The Median Rent in Chelsea is $1,859.
The Median Income in Chelsea is $72,220.
The Home Value To Income in Chelsea is 7.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chelsea is 0.31x.
| Statistic | Chelsea | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $525,717 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,859 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $72,220 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.3x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.31x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Chelsea, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Chelsea Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Chelsea | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.49 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.49 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $29.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $43.72 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.56 | $45.56 |
Detailed Chelsea Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Chelsea | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.48 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.52 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.53 | $3.7 |
Detailed Chelsea Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Chelsea | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Chelsea Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Chelsea | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Chelsea Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Chelsea | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Chelsea SnackAbility
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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 167, 1.2x Chelsea.
Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 201, 1.4x Chelsea.
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 1.5x Chelsea.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | 663,972 | 167 | 1.2x |
| Cambridge, MA | 117,794 | 201 | 1.4x |
| Newton, MA | 88,504 | 208 | 1.5x |
| Somerville, MA | 80,549 | 184 | 1.3x |
| Malden, MA | 65,509 | 150 | 1.1x |
| Brookline, MA | 62,822 | 221 | 1.6x |
| Revere, MA | 59,933 | 141 | 1.0x |
| Medford, MA | 59,062 | 163 | 1.2x |
| Everett, MA | 49,236 | 150 | 1.1x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,085 | 211 | 1.5x |
