LUNA (tugboat) · Photo: Nkwoodward · CC BY 4.0139 homes sold in Chelsea in the last year, at a typical $498K
Most homes sold are condos. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Chelsea homes are listed.
Every place Chelsea homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Chelsea.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
57% of Chelsea’s sales are condos, at $245K less than a house
20 houses and 83 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 20 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $397MA $368
- Days to sell
- 27
- Sold over asking
- 45%
- Listings with a price cut
- 63%
typical sale · 83 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $464MA $562
- Days to sell
- 45
- Sold over asking
- 29%
- Listings with a price cut
- 32%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 28 sold, typical $950K
Townhouses: 15 sold, typical $516K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
Fewer homes sell than a decade ago, at 1.4 times the 2016 price
139 sales in the last year, against 287 in 2016 and a low of 131 in 2023. The typical sale went from $357K in 2016 to $498K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $500K buys in Chelsea
Check a listing against what Chelsea homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Chelsea are rarer than before the pandemic, and more homes are for sale
We read every month of Chelsea’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 139 sales.
If you’re buying in Chelsea
- Shop in March. It brings about 30 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (31% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 99.2% of the list price on average; 29% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 35% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 35 days.
Fall brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
September has the most new listings (about 31 a month), but July is the most competitive: 49% of July sales close over asking. March offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (31%). December has the least competition (28%) but only about 12 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and calmer than Massachusetts
| Chelsea now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | MA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 29% | 39% | 39% | 40% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 35% | 49% | 51% | 48% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 99.2% | 99.7% | 100.3% | 100.1% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 35 | 19 | 26 | 29 |
43 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.4 times the 2024 low (30), 30% more than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 113.
Since 2019, houses are up 60%, condos 20%
A house typically sold for $670K in the year to May 2026 (20 sales), a condo for $424K (83).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Chelsea ranks 193rd of 224 busy Massachusetts markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Chelsea is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Chelsea home costs about $2,878 a month
Price: Chelsea’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Chelsea’s 0.7% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Chelsea is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in September
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 12.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $498K home, about $3,350 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Chelsea, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in ChelseaCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Everett sells for less a square foot; Somerville for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Chelsea, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerville | 626 | $997K | $684 | 37% | 26 |
| Revere | 343 | $641K | $418 | 44% | 31 |
| Malden | 308 | $730K | $419 | 52% | 26 |
| Melrose | 272 | $907K | $488 | 65% | 17 |
| Everett | 190 | $724K | $388 | 48% | 23 |
| Winthrop Town | 184 | $641K | $425 | 30% | 43 |
| Chelsea | 139 | $498K | $416 | 29% | 35 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Chelsea, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Chelsea. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Chelsea with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Chelsea
What do homes sell for in Chelsea, MA?
139 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $498K, $416 a square foot. Houses sold for about $670K, condos for about $424K in the year to May 2026.
Is Chelsea a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A buyer’s market: 77 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 10 sold, about 7.7 months of supply. Buyers paid 99.2% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Chelsea?
September brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Chelsea?
About 0.7% of a home’s value a year. On a $498K home that’s near $3,350.
Where can I see homes for sale in Chelsea?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Chelsea’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Chelsea.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).