Chelsea, Vermont Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 416, Chelsea's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Chelsea is a small community located in Vermont, within Orange County. The total population is 416. It ranks as the 89th most populous out of 179 Census-designated places in Vermont.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chelsea is 54.5 years. This is 26% higher than the state median of 43.1 years. 24.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chelsea is $43,750. This is 46% lower than the state median of $81,203. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.6%. This is 115% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Chelsea, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $232,600. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $316,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.3x. 66.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Chelsea has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (1.9% vs 1.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

18.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% lower than the state rate of 43.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chelsea, Vermont is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Vermont state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 179 Census-designated places in Vermont. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.