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 Michigan, 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 110, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chelsea is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Chelsea ranks as the #161 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Chelsea ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chelsea is $407,713.
The median income in Chelsea is $71,702.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chelsea has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Chelsea has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Chelsea ranks as #161 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Chelsea ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Chelsea, check out:
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 101.
The Groceries index in Chelsea is 104.
The Health index in Chelsea is 100.
The Housing index in Chelsea is 137.
The Transportation index in Chelsea is 101.
The Utilities index in Chelsea is 94.
| Living Expense | Chelsea | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 110 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 137 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, 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 $407,713.
The Median Rent in Chelsea is $1,543.
The Median Income in Chelsea is $71,702.
The Home Value To Income in Chelsea is 5.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chelsea is 0.26x.
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:
Ann Arbor, MI has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Chelsea.
Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.1x Chelsea.
Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.1x Chelsea.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | 121,179 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Troy, MI | 87,307 | 120 | 1.1x |
| Novi, MI | 66,224 | 118 | 1.1x |
| Royal Oak, MI | 57,880 | 107 | 1.0x |
| Birmingham, MI | 21,612 | 149 | 1.4x |
| Sylvania, OH | 19,038 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Berkley, MI | 15,084 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Clawson, MI | 11,314 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Plymouth, MI | 9,234 | 119 | 1.1x |
| Saline, MI | 8,976 | 110 | 1.0x |