Chelmsford: population and statistics
Chelmsford has a population of 190,570 (2025) across 342.2 km², or 557 people per km². It ranks 124 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 190,570 residents
- 342.2 km²
- 557 people/km²
Chelmsford in numbers
Population of Chelmsford over time
Chelmsford had 173,397 residents in 2015 and 190,570 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 180,488 |
| 2021 | 181,827 |
| 2022 | 183,444 |
| 2023 | 185,919 |
| 2024 | 188,328 |
| 2025 | 190,570 |
All indicators for Chelmsford
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.4% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.8% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 99 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 82,400 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 17.4% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 290 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.5% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 77 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 75,401 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 118 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 79.4% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 212 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 19.8% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 71.1% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 87 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 15.5% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 229 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 195 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £378,080 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 86 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −2.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 323 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 150 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 71.8% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 226 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.4% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 71 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 5.3% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 87 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,495 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 103 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 49.8 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 110 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,305 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 103 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £46,179 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 39 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 74.2% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 225 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.7% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 223 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Chelmsford | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.9% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 215 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Chelmsford ranks 9 by population.
Dwellings built before 1940: 17.4% in Chelmsford, compared with an average of 23.4% in East and 34.9% across the UK.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): £46,179 in Chelmsford, compared with an average of £41,339 in East and £39,498 across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 17.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
Business sectors: Chelmsford
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction17.0% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical15.3% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade15.2% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.3% ×1.1
- Information and communication6.9% ×1.1
- Health and social work5.0% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services4.9% ×0.7
- Real estate4.5% ×1.0
Where is Chelmsford?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Chelmsford?
Chelmsford has 190,570 residents (2025), ranking 124 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Chelmsford?
Chelmsford covers 342.2 km², with a density of 557 people per km².
Is the population of Chelmsford growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Chelmsford went from 173,397 to 190,570, a change of +9.9%.
Where is Chelmsford?
Chelmsford is in East (region). Latitude 51.736, longitude 0.479.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Chelmsford?
In Chelmsford, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 17.4% (2026), ranking 290 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross): what is the figure for Chelmsford?
In Chelmsford, “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)” stands at £46,179 (2025), ranking 39 of 348 local authorities; the UK median is £38,490.
Which local authorities border Chelmsford?
The nearest to Chelmsford are Braintree (17 km), Basildon (18 km), Brentwood (20 km), Maldon (20 km), Rochford (23 km).