In Chelsea, a typical home is worth $360,000 and typical rent is $1,414 a month. Compared with all of Shelby County, typical household income is 18% higher, the typical home value is 10% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 9 points higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $333,351 to $383,933.
Typical rent
$2,135a month
▲ 2.6% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, March 2024 to September 2026: from $1,998 to $2,135.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Chelsea is in Shelby County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Shelby County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Pelham, the typical home value is $299,800: 17% less than in Chelsea ($360,000).
2
Chelsea has the 8th highest typical household income of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($115,337).
3
90% of households in Chelsea own their home, against 81% in Shelby County.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Chelsea
What homes there are in Chelsea, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Kind of home: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Detached house
95%
77%
69%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
5%
2%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
Unreliable estimate
2%
5%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
9%
12%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
7%
12%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
In Chelsea, 10 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Shelby County, 8.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Year built: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Before 1960
Unreliable estimate
4%
16%
26%
1960–1979
5%
12%
26%
24%
1980–1999
18%
40%
29%
25%
2000–2009
39%
27%
15%
14%
2010 or later
37%
17%
13%
11%
Here half of the homes date from 2007 or later; in Shelby County, from 1997 or later.
In Chelsea, 93% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in Shelby County (81%).
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200K5%
$200K–$300K22%
$300K–$500K54%
$500K–$750K13%
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
5%
$200K–$300K
22%
$300K–$500K
54%
$500K–$750K
13%
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Under $500
Unreliable
$500–$999
Unreliable estimate
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable estimate
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable
With a mortgage
$1,790 a month
Shelby County: $1,734 a month
Without a mortgage
$584 a month
Shelby County: $556 a month
Owners with a mortgage
71%
Shelby County: 68%
In Chelsea, 71% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,790 a month, about the same as in Shelby County.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Chelsea+55%
Shelby County+54%
Alabama+47%
United States+53%
Typical rent
ChelseaNo clear change
Shelby County+34%
Alabama+27%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Chelsea+18%
Shelby County+26%
Alabama+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Typical home value
+55%
+54%
+47%
+53%
Typical rent
No clear change
+34%
+27%
+33%
Typical household income
+18%
+26%
+27%
+29%
From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Chelsea rose at about the same pace as in Shelby County: 55% against 54%.
The typical rent in Chelsea stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Chelsea and its comparisons
Measure
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
4.2%
7.2%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
0.6%
1.1%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
1.0%
1.7%
3.4%
People per household
2.83
2.61
2.48
2.53
Drive alone
78%
75%
81%
69%
Carpool
5%
7%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
3%
Work from home
15%
17%
9%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
2%
Typical commute
30 to 39 minutes
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Households in Chelsea are bigger: 2.83 people on average; in Shelby County, 2.61.
The car rules in Chelsea: 78% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 30 to 39 minutes.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Chelsea?
A typical home is tight for the typical income
We start with a typical home in Chelsea, worth $360,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 29% of the typical household income in Chelsea, which is $115,337 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $120,892 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Shelby County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Chelsea. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $12,600 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$2,821
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$353,480
Total interest
$508,574
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $6,080 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $2,691 a month
Tight
$2,691 to $3,460 a month
Your payment · 29%
Hard
more than $3,460 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Chelsea ($115,337 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$2,395
Property tax
$117
Home insurance
$150
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$159
You need at least $12,600 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $2,821; principal and interest $2,395.
The city and its county
Chelsea and Shelby County
Chelsea is in Shelby County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Chelsea
Map of Shelby County, Alabama, with Chelsea marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Chelsea
Shelby County
Other cities with a page
Chelsea's own numbers
Typical home value
$360,000
Typical monthly rent
$1,414
Typical yearly household income
$115,337
Households that own their home
90%
Effective property tax rate
0.39%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Shelby County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,375
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+48%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Shelby County.
A typical home in Chelsea is worth $360,000: 10% above the county and 72% above Alabama. With the typical household income in Chelsea ($115,337 a year), a typical home costs 3.1 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Chelsea3.1 years
Shelby3.3 years
Alabama3.3 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Shelby County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Shelby County rose 83% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Shelby County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Shelby County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +3.7% +3.7% 2016
2017: +2.7% +2.7% 2017
2018: +6.0% +6.0% 2018
2019: +4.2% +4.2% 2019
2020: +5.0% +5.0% 2020
2021: +10.5% +10.5% 2021
2022: +17.3% +17.3% 2022
2023: +7.5% +7.5% 2023
2024: +2.4% +2.4% 2024
2025: +4.0% +4.0% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Shelby County, Alabama and the United States
Period
County
Alabama
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+4.0%
+2.5%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+48%
+47%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+83%
+77%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Chelsea next to Shelby County, Alabama and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Chelsea$360,000
Shelby$326,100
Alabama$209,900
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Chelsea$1,414
Shelby$1,401
Alabama$1,007
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Chelsea$115,337
Shelby$97,961
Alabama$63,999
United States$80,734
See the full table
Chelsea next to Shelby County and Alabama
Measure
Chelsea
Shelby County
Alabama
U.S.
Typical home value
$360,000 ▲10% above the county
$326,100
$209,900
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,414
$1,401
$1,007
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$115,337 ▲18% above the county
$97,961
$63,999
$80,734
Households that own their home
90% ▲9 points above the county
81%
70%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$1,393 ▼2% below the county
$1,423
$788
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.39% ▼0.05 points below the county
0.44%
0.38%
0.94%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Shelby County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Chelsea
For a typical $360,000 home in Chelsea, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Chelsea's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$2,821a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$12,600
Cash to close
$23,400
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $159
Conventional, 5% down$2,755a month
Down payment
$18,000
Cash to close
$28,800
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $171
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$2,218a month
Down payment
$72,000
Cash to close
$82,800
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$2,551a month
Down payment
$54,000
Cash to close
$64,800
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Chelsea
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$2,821
$12,600
$353,480
7.18%
FHA MIP · $159
$23,400
580
Conventional, 5% down
$2,755
$18,000
$342,000
7.18%
PMI · $171
$28,800
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$2,218
$72,000
$288,000
7.18%
None
$82,800
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$2,551
$54,000
$306,000
8.18%
None
$64,800
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Chelsea is $1,414 a month: about the same as the county.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Shelby County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,375 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.44 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Shelby County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,177
$22.63
$47,080
1 bedroom
$1,263
$24.29
$50,520
2 bedrooms
$1,375
$26.44
$55,000
3 bedrooms
$1,727
$33.21
$69,080
4 bedrooms
$1,941
$37.33
$77,640
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Chelsea
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Chelsea is in ZIP code 35043.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,580: $205 more than the fair market rent for Shelby County ($1,375).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Chelsea, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
35043
$1,350
$1,450
$1,580
$1,980
$2,230
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
35043 $1,580$1,980
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Chelsea when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Shelby County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Chelsea or Shelby County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Chelsea the same as in the rest of the state.
Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Chelsea or Shelby County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Chelsea and all of Shelby County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Chelsea?
The typical home value in Chelsea is $360,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Shelby County it is $326,100.
How much does it cost to rent in Chelsea?
Typical rent in Chelsea is $1,414 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Shelby County is $1,375.
What is the FHA loan limit in Chelsea?
Chelsea uses the FHA limit for all of Shelby County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Chelsea?
The typical homeowner in Chelsea pays $1,393 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.39% of the home’s value; in Shelby County, the rate is 0.44%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Chelsea?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Shelby County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
