The Town FilesChelsea, Maine
Town in Kennebec County · population 2,778 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,300
- Household income
- $85,471
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.2
Chelsea is a town of 2,778 people in Kennebec County, Maine. The median home is worth $182,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Maine towns, better transit than 91% of Maine towns.
How Chelsea ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chelsea is worth $182,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $85,471, which is more affordable than 95% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,373 a month. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chelsea | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,373 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $85,471 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chelsea
| People | Chelsea | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.6% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 90.0% |
Weather in Chelsea
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 9.4°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.9 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chelsea since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 1, 1968 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 1968.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Kennebec County since 1996
Kennebec County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kennebec County
Kennebec County had 62,487 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,846 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Chelsea itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Chelsea
1 public school with 278 students, about 7.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea Elementary School | PK-8 | 278 | 7.7 |
Towns near Chelsea
- Hallowell, ME4.6 mi · 2,570 people · home $295,300
- Augusta, ME4.7 mi · 18,899 people · home $201,000
- Farmingdale, ME4.8 mi · 2,995 people · home $249,700
- Gardiner, ME5.8 mi · 5,961 people · home $221,600
- Pittston, ME6.1 mi · 2,875 people · home $238,700
- West Gardiner, ME7.8 mi · 3,671 people · home $305,100
- Windsor, ME8.6 mi · 2,632 people · home $228,800
- Richmond, ME11.4 mi · 3,522 people · home $242,700
Chelsea questions
Is Chelsea, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chelsea scores better for retirees than 23% of Maine towns and quieter than 57%. 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Chelsea?
The median owner-occupied home in Chelsea is valued at $182,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,471, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,373 a month.
What is the weather like in Chelsea?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 9.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 68.9 inches of snow.
Does Chelsea get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chelsea since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 1, 1968. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)