ChelseaQuebec

8,998 people call this town in Quebec home. Statistics Canada counts it in the Ottawa - Gatineau (partie du Québec / Quebec part) metro area.

6 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Population

8,998

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

43.6

years · Quebec’s towns: 44.8

Postsecondary

76%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

#108 of 2,556

Is Chelsea a good place to live?

The picture is mixed. Where it does best is safety (A+). Chelsea grades A overall, better than 94% of Canadian towns. That places it #62 of 499 in Quebec. Jobs & income is a strength too (A). Hazard risk is higher than most (C−). At $600,000, the median home value in 2021 came to 4.1 times local household income. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for health and B− for walkability.

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.

Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety is the regional police service's figure, shared with its other towns. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestA⁺Safety AJobs & incomeWeakestC⁻Hazard risk

What makes Chelsea stand out

The 3 things Chelsea does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Median household income, 2020

Income

$146,000 median household income

The median of Canadian towns: $81,000

Statistics Canada, Census 2021: household income in 2020.

Safety

Better than 95%

of Canadian towns on safety

Its safety grade: A+.

Population growth, 2016 to 2021

Growth

+16% more people than in 2016

Canadian towns centre on 4%

Statistics Canada, Census 2016 and 2021

How Chelsea grades

Each subject compares Chelsea with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA⁺Open →Jobs & incomeNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →Hazard riskGraded on two hazards, earthquakes and radon, with nearby wildfire counted only against itC⁻Open →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB⁺Open →HealthBetter than most of the towns comparedBOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB⁻Open →

SchoolsThe schools grade is left out in Quebec, as the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

Nearby attractions

Camp Fortune and 14 more in and around Chelsea

What there is to see in Chelsea and within a short drive, starting with the places most people have heard of.

All attractions →

Ski hillCamp Fortunein town

CathedralSt Joseph Cathedral4.7 km outside town, to the southeast

Ski hillSommet Edelweiss4.7 km outside town, to the north

MuseumFairbairn House3.6 km outside town, to the northwest Historic siteHistoric siteGeodetic Survey Monumentin town AttractionAttractionGreat Canadian Bungeein town

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · ODCAF · federal and Québec heritage registers · CPCAD

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (4)

Camp Fortune: Fil.Al, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
St Joseph Cathedral: Dmitri Lytov, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sommet Edelweiss: Seguins613, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fairbairn House: Amqui, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Chelsea.

SafetySafety A⁺

The police who cover Chelsea record less serious crime than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 29

Measured across the Collines-de-l'Outaouais Region service area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

Property crime in the area its police cover: 7.2 per 1,000 people a year. For violence alone, its police area’s index was 52, below both Quebec’s towns (88) and Canadian towns (86). Violence across its police area runs at 8.4 per 1,000 residents a year.

29Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202331

202430

202527

2023–2025	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	7.2	16.6	31.2
Crime Severity Index	29	56	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	52	88	86
Violent crime	8.4	12.4	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

49%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageChelsea’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety29 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Chelsea’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Chelsea safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

Work & commuteJobs & income A

Household incomes put Chelsea near the very top of Canadian towns

The average trip to work took 26 min, near both Quebec’s towns (27 min) and Canadian towns (26 min). 90% of commuters drove, about level with both Quebec’s towns (90%) and Canadian towns (89%).

7%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van90%

Walk3%

Bicycle2%

Public transit2%

Census 2021	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Average trip	26 min	27 min	26 min
Car or van	90%	90%	89%

$146,000

median household income, 2020

47%

worked from home, May 2021

24%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageChelsea’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment6.1% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to675 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Ottawa

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁻

A flood study covers Chelsea: 2 on the national inventory, the newest from Ville de Gatineau

Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the Outaouais health region

Averaged over the years, quake damage costs $0.081 per $1,000 of buildings, below Quebec’s towns ($0.14) but above Canadian towns ($0.030). In Health Canada’s survey, 13% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical).

Lowwildfire bandC⁻Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Chelsea13%

Quebec’s towns8.2%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	13%	8.2%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.081	$0.14	$0.030

$0.081

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

2.1 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood studies on the national inventory

Full pageChelsea’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Flood2 flood studies on record WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 Earthquakes$0.081 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon13% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Outdoors

In Chelsea, 65% of the land is set aside as protected

Biggest among them: Breckenridge Water Fowl Gathering Area, 438 ha, 3.2 km off. Parks and reserves take up 27% of the ground within 10 km, above Quebec’s towns (4.9%) and Canadian towns (2.3%) alike. No national park lies within 100 km. 55 protected areas lie within 10 km.

27%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Chelsea27%

Quebec’s towns4.9%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	27%	4.9%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	28	10	4

24 km

to Fitzroy Provincial Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageChelsea’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas55 protected areas within 10 km · Breckenridge Water Fowl Gathering Area National & provincial parks24 km to a provincial park · Fitzroy Provincial Park Footpaths & routes6 named routes · Sentier du loup

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

HousingCost of living B⁺

Rent takes less of local pay in Chelsea than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 12% of household income

Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom for the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area

Shelter took 30% or more of income for 11% of households, below both Quebec’s towns (13%) and Canadian towns (18%). Home ownership covers 92% of households.

$600,000median home value, 2021B⁺Cost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Chelsea$600,000

Quebec$300,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Rent as a share of income	12%	18%	20%
Households owning their home	92%	70%	74%
Median home value, 2021	$600,000	$300,000	$406,000
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	11%	13%	18%

$1,451

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$1,440

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageChelsea’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Renting$1,451 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey Cost of living4.1 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $600,000, against the median household income Owners and renters92% own their home

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.

HealthHealth B

17% of adults smoke in the health region around Chelsea, against 12% for the typical Canadian town

The health survey and life expectancy numbers here cover the Région de l'Outaouais

Across the region, 55% of adults say their health is very good or excellent, much as in Quebec (57%). For 2022/2024, the region’s figure is 80.7 years at birth, 82.2 for women and 79.1 for men. On average 15% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, near Quebec’s towns (15%) and lower than Canadian towns (17%). Closer to home, a hospital is 7.6 km from the average resident of Chelsea, further than the usual 3.7 km.

55%very good or excellent healthBHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Chelsea55%

Quebec’s towns56%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Smokers	17%	12%	12%
Life expectancy at birth	80.7	82.5	81.5
Chronic conditions (average share)	15%	15%	17%
Very good or excellent health	55%	56%	52%

80.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

7.6 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

17%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

2.9 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageChelsea’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey55% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care7.6 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 2.9 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.2, men 79.1 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Climate

Winter nights bite in Chelsea: January lows of −16.0°C, colder than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns

Summer highs in Chelsea reach 26.9°C in July. Between the last spring frost, 20 May, and the first in autumn, 22 September, lie 124 days. Snow totals 193 cm over the year, below Quebec’s towns (217 cm) but above Canadian towns (141 cm). January is the snowiest month, with 53 cm on average.

26.9°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−3.5°C

Spring11.2°C

Summer25.7°C

Autumn13.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
July afternoon high	26.9°C	26.5°C	25.5°C
Snowfall a year	193 cm	217 cm	141 cm
January night low	−16.0°C	−14.7°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	170	161	159

193 cm

of snow a year

170

days with frost a year

124

frost-free days, 20 May to 22 Sep

137

days with precipitation a year

Full pageChelsea’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 26.9°C, January lows −16.0°C Rain and snow968 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow193 cm of snow a year Weather station17 km to the station · Luskville

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Luskville)

Weather

Chelsea in November: highs near 6°C, lows near −3°C

Then December: −2°C by day, −11°C at night. Expect about 74 mm of rain and snow over November. Also worth knowing: for today and the week ahead, the Weather page carries ECCC’s Chelsea forecast.

6°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November6°C

December−2°C

January−5°C

February−3°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−3°C	−14°C	215 mm
Spring	11°C	−1°C	216 mm
Summer	26°C	13°C	292 mm
Autumn	13°C	3°C	246 mm

−3°C

a normal November night

74 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageChelsea’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Luskville); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Fewer than four in five Québec’s local municipalities spend as much per resident as Chelsea

For federal votes, Chelsea belongs to Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP); Sophie Chatel (Liberal Party of Canada) holds it.

Full pageChelsea’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

council seats7 Provincial legislatureGatineau

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade C⁻

Chelsea Public Library and Bibliotheque De Chelsea are Chelsea’s two public libraries

From 2 branches, Chelsea public library serves 8,982 people.

Full pageChelsea’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

A year at the library3.1 visits per person served

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Schools

Chelsea’s schools come under 3 different boards

The 3 km around Chelsea counts 19 elementary schools, 4 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade. Measured from the centre, the closest high school lies 8.1 km off, higher than both Quebec’s towns (1.2 km) and Canadian towns (1.2 km). 3 of the 26 teach in English, against 10% of schools in Quebec.

26schools within 3 km

School	Level	Students	System
École du Grand-Boisé (Grand-Boisé - Annexe, du)In ChelseaElementary	Elementary	–	French public
Collège Saint-Alexandre de la Gatineau IndependentNearest secondary school, 0.3 kmSecondary	Secondary	–	Independent
École primaire Chelsea EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 26 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

French public21

English public3

Independent2

Schools within 3 km	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Nearest secondary school	8.1 km	1.2 km	1.2 km
School boards	3	2	3
Nearest elementary school	2.9 km	0.5 km	0.5 km

8.1 km

to the nearest secondary school

2.9 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageChelsea’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

The boardsCentre de services scolaire des Portages-de-l'Outaouais Every school26 schools within 3 km · 19 elementary schools, 4 secondary schools and 3 schools for every grade Language3 of 26 teach in English · 10% of schools in Quebec Questions“What schools are there in Chelsea?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Source note: the ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school, so there’s no schools grade in Quebec.

Who lives here

More people in Chelsea speak English and French than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 71%

Retirement age and beyond: 15% of residents are 65 or older. Children under 15 make up 20%, higher than both Quebec’s towns (17%) and Canadian towns (16%).

43.6median age

ChelseaQuebecCanada

QuebecCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

20%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree9%

Postsecondary qualification76%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 50.5% of Chelsea

Here the census found 4,040 women and 3,960 men; across Canada the share of women is 50.9%.

Who lives in Chelsea
	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Under 15	20%	17%	16%
15 to 64	65%	62%	64%
65+	15%	20%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	8.6%	19%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	76%	59%	56%

Full pageChelsea’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

English and French71% speak both · 8.2% speak French but not English Ages43.6 median age · 15% are 65 or over Households3,045 households · 2.6 people per household Immigrants9% are immigrants · 6% belong to a visible minority

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

History

6 top designations among Chelsea’s 12 historic places

Counted by designation, there are 4 Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings and 2 municipal citations. Old Chease Protestant Cemetery, begun in 1835, is the oldest by its record.

12historic places

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations6

Other federal designations4

Provincial and local listings2

Among them

1835

oldest construction date on the record

15%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Chelsea	Quebec	Canada
Homes built before 1961	15%	21%	18%

Full pageChelsea’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers12 historic places inside the town Highest designations6 top designations · First Geodetic Survey Station Older homes15% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Chelsea have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Chelsea

15pages on Chelsea

The big questions

SafetyA⁺Crime Severity Index 29 Housing & costB⁺Homes 4.1 × income Property pricesSchools26 schools within 3 km HealthBLife expectancy 80.7 in its region Work & commuteA65% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors27% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 43.6 History12 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from around Chelsea

2 notable people were born in Chelsea; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.

Their page →

Antoine CouplandCanadian soccer player · born 2003

Lindsey PostCanadian ice hockey goaltender · born 1994

Steve DurandCanadian rock musician · born in Cantley

Chelsea’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

CantleyHautes-PlainesLes RapidesMont-BleuDu PlateauLa CitéChelsea

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Chelsea	8,998	—	A	B⁺	A⁺	B
Cantley	12,291	5.2	A	B⁺	A⁺	B
Hautes-Plaines	6,353	8.5	B⁺	C⁺	B⁻	B⁺
Les Rapides	15,090	8.7	A⁻	A⁻	B⁻	B
Mont-Bleu	21,636	11	C⁻	D	B⁻	B⁺
Du Plateau	29,234	12	B⁻	C	B⁻	B
La Cité	30,930	12	B⁻	C⁻	B⁻	B⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Chelsea

Do people in Chelsea speak French?

It is a French-speaking town: 8.2% know French alone, and 71% can talk in English too, against 8% for the median of Canadian towns.

Has Chelsea grown?

It added people: 6,909 in 2016, 8,000 in 2021, 15.8% more, where the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 8,998.

What kind of homes are in Chelsea?

A household averages 2.6 people; 19% are one person living alone.

Who are the people of Chelsea?

Visible minorities are 6% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 9%, and Indigenous people 3%.

About Chelsea

Town in Quebec

Statistics Canada treats Chelsea as a single census subdivision in Quebec, and TownRatings keeps to that line.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 8,998 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Quebec
Census division: Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais
Metro area: Ottawa - Gatineau (partie du Québec / Quebec part)
Census subdivision: 2482025

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).