The Town FilesChelsea, Vermont
Town in Orange County · population 1,233 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $260,900
- Household income
- $65,913
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 89 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 54.1
Chelsea is a town of 1,233 people in Orange County, Vermont. The median home is worth $260,900, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for families than 88% of Vermont towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of Vermont towns, more of a college town than 76% of Vermont towns.
How Chelsea ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chelsea is worth $260,900, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $65,913, which is more affordable than 37% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,524 a month. 81.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chelsea | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $260,900 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,524 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $65,913 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 81.2% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.1% | — |
Who lives in Chelsea
| People | Chelsea | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.4% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.9% | 89.3% |
Weather in Chelsea
July highs average 76.2°F and January lows 7.2°F. About 42.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 88.8 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 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 Vermont town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 16, 2026 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 16, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 21, 2010.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 7,898 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,315 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Chelsea itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Chelsea
1 public school with 92 students, about 7.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Branch Middle School | 5-8 | 92 | 7.1 |
Towns near Chelsea
- Washington, VT6.1 mi · 1,032 people · home $217,700
- Tunbridge, VT6.4 mi · 1,337 people · home $315,300
- Brookfield, VT6.9 mi · 1,244 people · home $339,300
- Vershire, VT6.9 mi · 672 people · home $209,100
- Randolph, VT9.0 mi · 4,774 people · home $278,700
- Strafford, VT9.3 mi · 1,094 people · home $431,300
- Williamstown, VT9.3 mi · 3,515 people · home $234,900
- Corinth, VT9.4 mi · 1,455 people · home $213,800
Chelsea questions
Is Chelsea, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chelsea scores better for retirees than 73% of Vermont towns and quieter than 59%. 29.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.1).
How much does a house cost in Chelsea?
The median owner-occupied home in Chelsea is valued at $260,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,913, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,524 a month.
What is the weather like in Chelsea?
July highs average 76.2°F and January lows 7.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.4 inches of precipitation a year and 88.8 inches of snow.
Does Chelsea get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chelsea since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 16, 2026. The typical Vermont 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)