The Town FilesChelsea, Oklahoma
Town in Rogers County · population 1,991 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,800
- Household income
- $50,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 33.9
Chelsea is a town of 1,991 people in Rogers County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $109,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks hipper than 94% of Oklahoma towns, more of a college town than 94% of Oklahoma towns, more walkable than 92% of Oklahoma towns.
How Chelsea ranks
Percentile among Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oklahoma towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chelsea is worth $109,800, below the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $50,875, which is more affordable than 64% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $805 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chelsea | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,800 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $805 | $830 |
| Median household income | $50,875 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Chelsea
| People | Chelsea | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.5% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.8% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.1% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 86.0% |
Weather in Chelsea
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.8 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chelsea since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 8, 1974 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 8, 1961.
Severe weather in Rogers County since 1996
Rogers County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4791: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4721: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rogers County
Rogers County had 30,500 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,107 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Chelsea itself the ACS puts it at 10.7%.
Public schools in Chelsea
3 public schools with 808 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ART GOAD ES | PK-5 | 386 | 16.8 |
| CHELSEA HS | 9-12 | 241 | 14.2 |
| CHELSEA MS | 6-8 | 181 | 13.9 |
Towns near Chelsea
- Bushyhead, OK6.2 mi · 1,292 people · home $152,200
- Adair, OK11.1 mi · 732 people · home $202,600
- Sequoyah, OK13.9 mi · 730 people · home $221,500
- Nowata, OK16.1 mi · 3,517 people · home $89,900
- Oologah, OK16.4 mi · 1,305 people · home $191,700
- Pryor Creek, OK17.5 mi · 9,444 people · home $166,400
- Claremore, OK17.9 mi · 19,580 people · home $188,700
- Justice, OK18.1 mi · 1,424 people · home $240,700
Chelsea questions
Is Chelsea, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chelsea scores better for retirees than 20% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 12%. 10.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in Chelsea?
The median owner-occupied home in Chelsea is valued at $109,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,875, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $805 a month.
What is the weather like in Chelsea?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 6.8 inches of snow.
Does Chelsea get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chelsea since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 8, 1974. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.
- 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)