Station Street, Chelsea Iowa c.1908, 1908
Chelsea’s story
164 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1908.
- 1862Chelsea is settled
ChelseaIA
A town of 208, settled in 1862.
Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0
Population
208
2025 Census estimate · −3.3% since 2020
Typical home
$240K
+9.3% in a year
Household income
$40K
median
Median age
31.6
years
Jobs based here
20
A commuter town
Is Chelsea a good place to live?
25% of residents live below the poverty line in Chelsea, above both the Iowa town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Chelsea. 16% of the land in Chelsea is conserved, where Iowa’s towns sit at 3.1% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest park or preserve is Iowa River Corridor Wildlife Management Area, at 84 acres. Chelsea has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
208 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Chelsea: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chelsea, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChelsea Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Chelsea’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTama County AuditorTama County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5221552215 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chelsea.
Work & commute
Chelsea stands out in Iowa and nationally: the average trip to work there is longer
Chelsea’s average trip to work is 33 minutes. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower median household income than Chelsea. Most working residents leave Chelsea for work: only 0% work in town.
0%work in town
| Chelsea | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $40,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Chelsea0%
Toledo10%
Marshalltown10%
Tama7%
Cedar Rapids5%
29 mi
median commute distance
20
jobs based in Chelsea
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Chelsea, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 90 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Chelsea.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtStrong wind
90
paid flood claims since 1979
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Chelsea has set aside 15.9% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
15.9%conserved
15.9%
conserved · 102 of 645 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Iowa River Corridor Wildlife Management Area | — | 84 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Chelsea has four seasons and pleasant summers
Chelsea has cold winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–31°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall40–62°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A smaller share of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Chelsea than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country
19% of Chelsea adults have been diagnosed with depression. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Chelsea. 41% of Chelsea adults have obesity.
| Chelsea | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 7% | 8.1% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better22 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Chelsea | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 13.3% | 7.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.8% | 11.6% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 13.4% | 9.4% |
Compass Memorial Healthcare
18.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Homes in Chelsea are worth about $240K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Chelsea home is worth about $240,000, up 9.3% in a year, close to the Iowa typical home. 96% of households own their home in Chelsea.
$240KZillow home value
Typical home value
Chelsea$240K
Iowa$237K
+9.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chelsea
17pages on Chelsea
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Chelsea; the nearest are
Grinnell CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Grinnell20.7 mi$68,106 tuitionMarshalltown Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marshalltown27 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionUniversity of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls41.2 mi$9,936 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Chelsea residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Chelsea for work
Where Chelsea’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
20jobs based in Chelsea
0%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Chelsea
City in Iowa, United States
Chelsea is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 229 at the 2020 census. The city is located in the Iowa River Valley and has suffered severe damage in several floods.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 781 ft
- ZIP code
- 52215
Questions about Chelsea
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chelsea, IA a good place to live?
Chelsea has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.