Chelsea Iowa City Hall and Library 3-10-2014 · David Wilson / CC BY 2.0Station Street, Chelsea Iowa c.1908 · Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domainChelseaIowaPopPlot · PopePompus / CC BY-SA 4.0
Chelsea is a small town of 318 in Iowa, with a median household income of $40,417
and a 8.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 84 (US average = 100), which is
16% below the national average.
Strengths:
Chelsea stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Chelsea is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Chelsea city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 84.3
Chelsea's overall cost of living index is 84.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Chelsea costs roughly 16% less than the average American city.
Metric
Chelsea, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$44,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$788
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
82.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$40,417
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Chelsea's violent crime rate is 148.3 per 100,000 residents
— 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
148.3 /100k
Property Crime
249.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Chelsea, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
8.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
77.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Chelsea sees average highs of 28.1°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 36.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 27.9 inches of snow per year.
Chelsea's cost of living index is 84, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Chelsea roughly 16% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $44,000 and median rent is $788/month.
Chelsea's violent crime rate is 148.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 249.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Chelsea, IA has a population of 318, a median household income of $40,417, and an unemployment rate of 8.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Chelsea averages 28.1°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 36.0 inches
with about 27.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chelsea, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52215.
The population of Chelsea, Iowa is 318 with a median age of 31.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chelsea: cost of living index 84 (100 = US average), median home $44,000, median household income $40,417, crime index 28 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Chelsea side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
