Living in Chelmsford, MA
Suburb in Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 36,000 people, with 3.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Chelmsford a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 15 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Dog-friendly: 14 dog parks within 9 mi
- Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 1.39% property tax
- Cloudier than most places
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $674k, and rent is $2,820 a month
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Chelmsford ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Chelmsford: common questions
What is the cost of living in Chelmsford?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $674k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,820 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Chelmsford?
Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.39% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Chelmsford safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Chelmsford?
Public schools in Chelmsford test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Chelmsford?
Chelmsford has cold winters: winter days average around 37°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 59″ of snow a year.
Does Chelmsford get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.16 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Chelmsford?
The nearest major airport is BOS, about 25 mi away.
How Chelmsford scores
Each bar compares Chelmsford with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Chelmsford
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Massachusetts.
Is Chelmsford right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.