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Chelmsford · England

Chelmsford, in numbers.

Chelmsford’s growth depends on infrastructure as well as homes. The Garden Community needs legal agreements and services, while Chelmer Waterside requires former gasworks infrastructure to be moved.

Chelmsford council area. Every figure carries its own date.

The short version

People living in the area

190,570

Mid-2025 · Chelmsford

Show the workings

Published mid-year estimate for the whole local authority area. This is not automatically the population of the named city settlement.

All usual residents

Source and method →

Average home price

£378,000

July 2026 · Chelmsford

Show the workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Shown to the nearest £1,000. Published value: £378,080.

Homes in the local authority area

Source and method →

Average monthly rent

£1,439

August 2026 · Chelmsford

Show the workings

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

Homes in the local authority area

Source and method →

How the area has changed

Chelmsford had 33,537 more residents in 2025 than in 1996 (21.4% more). That is a change in the whole council area, not just the city centre.

Population over time

1996 to 2025

Chelmsford · people

151.1k172.2k193.4k19962025
Data table and workings

All ages, both sexes, usual residents. Source series rebased to the 2021/2022 censuses; latest revisions replace older estimates.

These estimates cover the whole authority, including any surrounding towns and countryside.

Historical boundaries/revisions follow the source series; null years are not zero.

Population over time — Chelmsford
Periodpeople
1996157,033
1997156,103
1998155,325
1999155,894
2000156,331
2001157,269
2002158,686
2003160,360
2004162,505
2005163,570
2006163,879
2007164,381
2008165,047
2009166,208
2010167,441
2011168,491
2012169,301
2013170,481
2014172,128
2015173,397
2016175,137
2017177,102
2018178,017
2019179,882
2020180,488
2021181,827
2022183,444
2023185,919
2024188,328
2025190,570
Source →

Average monthly private rent over time

January 2015 to August 2026

Chelmsford · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

£803£1.1k£1.5kJanuary 2015August 2026
Data table and workings

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

The whole authority area, not just the named city settlement.

Prices are in pounds at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

Average existing and new private rents; not a quote for a home currently advertised.

Average monthly private rent over time — Chelmsford
Period£ per month
January 2015872
February 2015875
March 2015880
April 2015885
May 2015888
June 2015889
July 2015892
August 2015894
September 2015896
October 2015900
November 2015908
December 2015916
January 2016920
February 2016923
March 2016926
April 2016929
May 2016931
June 2016936
July 2016940
August 2016943
September 2016943
October 2016943
November 2016944
December 2016950
January 2017956
February 2017960
March 2017963
April 2017967
May 2017973
June 2017978
July 2017982
August 2017984
September 2017988
October 2017992
November 2017995
December 2017996
January 2018998
February 20181,001
March 20181,004
April 20181,006
May 20181,007
June 20181,008
July 20181,010
August 20181,012
September 20181,015
October 20181,015
November 20181,014
December 20181,015
January 20191,016
February 20191,017
March 20191,019
April 20191,021
May 20191,024
June 20191,025
July 20191,027
August 20191,028
September 20191,028
October 20191,028
November 20191,027
December 20191,028
January 20201,030
February 20201,031
March 20201,031
April 20201,032
May 20201,033
June 20201,033
July 20201,033
August 20201,033
September 20201,035
October 20201,037
November 20201,038
December 20201,039
January 20211,051
February 20211,063
March 20211,077
April 20211,080
May 20211,082
June 20211,081
July 20211,080
August 20211,082
September 20211,084
October 20211,086
November 20211,089
December 20211,092
January 20221,095
February 20221,098
March 20221,102
April 20221,107
May 20221,111
June 20221,117
July 20221,122
August 20221,129
September 20221,133
October 20221,135
November 20221,137
December 20221,141
January 20231,145
February 20231,148
March 20231,151
April 20231,152
May 20231,154
June 20231,164
July 20231,181
August 20231,199
September 20231,212
October 20231,221
November 20231,227
December 20231,229
January 20241,232
February 20241,238
March 20241,244
April 20241,248
May 20241,253
June 20241,257
July 20241,261
August 20241,266
September 20241,279
October 20241,293
November 20241,309
December 20241,316
January 20251,326
February 20251,332
March 20251,339
April 20251,344
May 20251,361
June 20251,378
July 20251,395
August 20251,406
September 20251,416
October 20251,427
November 20251,432
December 20251,437
January 20261,441
February 20261,442
March 20261,442
April 20261,442
May 20261,445
June 20261,447
July 20261,442
August 20261,439
Source →

Average home price over time

January 1995 to July 2026

Chelmsford · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

£16.3k£215.2k£414.2kJanuary 1995July 2026
Data table and workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Prices are in pounds at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

Whole local authority area; not a typical home listing or the budget needed by a first-time buyer.

Provisional estimates can be revised. Historical boundaries follow the exact published source code; no old-code series has been relabelled.

Average home price over time — Chelmsford
Period£
January 199559,177
February 199559,818
March 199559,767
April 199559,728
May 199558,994
June 199558,373
July 199558,422
August 199558,573
September 199558,778
October 199558,405
November 199558,800
December 199557,754
January 199657,227
February 199656,059
March 199657,186
April 199657,302
May 199657,666
June 199657,957
July 199659,234
August 199660,219
September 199660,952
October 199660,880
November 199661,331
December 199661,353
January 199761,011
February 199761,846
March 199762,009
April 199763,788
May 199764,853
June 199766,900
July 199768,249
August 199769,488
September 199769,675
October 199771,275
November 199771,269
December 199772,587
January 199872,744
February 199873,312
March 199873,817
April 199874,883
May 199874,948
June 199875,461
July 199874,952
August 199877,334
September 199879,315
October 199880,278
November 199879,628
December 199878,803
January 199977,098
February 199976,616
March 199977,028
April 199979,720
May 199980,732
June 199981,406
July 199981,747
August 199983,712
September 199985,233
October 199987,791
November 199988,908
December 199991,488
January 200093,076
February 200094,617
March 200094,439
April 200096,175
May 200098,099
June 2000100,231
July 2000101,613
August 2000104,012
September 2000105,703
October 2000106,854
November 2000106,676
December 2000106,168
January 2001105,407
February 2001106,772
March 2001107,248
April 2001108,846
May 2001108,815
June 2001111,387
July 2001111,903
August 2001114,714
September 2001115,068
October 2001117,646
November 2001118,208
December 2001120,634
January 2002120,500
February 2002122,241
March 2002123,902
April 2002128,033
May 2002131,968
June 2002136,351
July 2002139,971
August 2002142,303
September 2002143,876
October 2002146,911
November 2002150,837
December 2002154,490
January 2003157,409
February 2003159,326
March 2003161,218
April 2003162,906
May 2003165,573
June 2003167,185
July 2003168,475
August 2003168,061
September 2003170,512
October 2003170,667
November 2003172,408
December 2003171,831
January 2004173,968
February 2004175,175
March 2004177,490
April 2004178,899
May 2004179,761
June 2004183,619
July 2004186,637
August 2004189,647
September 2004190,866
October 2004190,583
November 2004192,403
December 2004190,014
January 2005191,057
February 2005188,756
March 2005188,699
April 2005188,366
May 2005190,521
June 2005193,732
July 2005194,204
August 2005195,191
September 2005192,610
October 2005193,439
November 2005192,791
December 2005193,474
January 2006192,329
February 2006193,524
March 2006196,045
April 2006198,336
May 2006199,029
June 2006200,094
July 2006202,172
August 2006202,655
September 2006203,189
October 2006202,597
November 2006205,244
December 2006206,357
January 2007209,271
February 2007207,576
March 2007210,775
April 2007215,866
May 2007220,463
June 2007225,176
July 2007225,193
August 2007227,141
September 2007226,058
October 2007226,732
November 2007227,679
December 2007227,576
January 2008226,622
February 2008225,234
March 2008222,482
April 2008220,490
May 2008222,895
June 2008222,917
July 2008221,824
August 2008216,147
September 2008211,765
October 2008206,579
November 2008197,350
December 2008193,239
January 2009186,793
February 2009185,503
March 2009182,802
April 2009183,391
May 2009187,095
June 2009189,547
July 2009193,092
August 2009196,415
September 2009199,724
October 2009203,946
November 2009204,550
December 2009204,599
January 2010204,368
February 2010204,764
March 2010206,245
April 2010207,634
May 2010211,380
June 2010212,482
July 2010214,034
August 2010210,804
September 2010212,624
October 2010213,204
November 2010214,972
December 2010211,712
January 2011210,634
February 2011211,567
March 2011214,651
April 2011216,333
May 2011214,001
June 2011212,443
July 2011209,601
August 2011209,863
September 2011208,104
October 2011207,383
November 2011208,358
December 2011210,862
January 2012209,179
February 2012207,589
March 2012206,553
April 2012211,455
May 2012214,137
June 2012216,322
July 2012217,649
August 2012220,229
September 2012222,179
October 2012222,153
November 2012221,319
December 2012218,855
January 2013216,311
February 2013213,443
March 2013215,945
April 2013216,305
May 2013219,072
June 2013219,728
July 2013221,692
August 2013222,764
September 2013222,934
October 2013225,942
November 2013226,102
December 2013227,788
January 2014227,896
February 2014233,773
March 2014235,751
April 2014237,710
May 2014238,852
June 2014242,830
July 2014247,690
August 2014248,022
September 2014250,917
October 2014253,685
November 2014257,291
December 2014258,856
January 2015257,315
February 2015258,094
March 2015256,102
April 2015258,007
May 2015258,227
June 2015263,425
July 2015264,972
August 2015269,161
September 2015273,627
October 2015278,682
November 2015280,956
December 2015280,481
January 2016283,245
February 2016289,043
March 2016293,021
April 2016293,542
May 2016290,815
June 2016293,639
July 2016299,162
August 2016305,967
September 2016306,804
October 2016306,003
November 2016302,134
December 2016303,357
January 2017303,691
February 2017311,330
March 2017312,152
April 2017315,062
May 2017315,225
June 2017319,632
July 2017324,160
August 2017324,067
September 2017320,202
October 2017317,408
November 2017316,468
December 2017321,188
January 2018322,456
February 2018322,368
March 2018323,858
April 2018321,166
May 2018318,453
June 2018315,889
July 2018321,408
August 2018325,670
September 2018324,329
October 2018324,642
November 2018325,319
December 2018325,166
January 2019320,757
February 2019322,860
March 2019330,261
April 2019331,445
May 2019334,016
June 2019328,932
July 2019330,918
August 2019328,195
September 2019331,422
October 2019330,020
November 2019328,148
December 2019324,280
January 2020324,614
February 2020323,370
March 2020326,611
April 2020325,347
May 2020328,623
June 2020325,047
July 2020328,294
August 2020328,415
September 2020330,396
October 2020328,124
November 2020326,535
December 2020328,739
January 2021336,217
February 2021340,927
March 2021341,159
April 2021335,905
May 2021333,670
June 2021337,551
July 2021337,227
August 2021342,222
September 2021343,823
October 2021351,874
November 2021354,846
December 2021357,620
January 2022359,520
February 2022364,991
March 2022366,519
April 2022373,254
May 2022373,687
June 2022381,045
July 2022383,300
August 2022387,476
September 2022386,309
October 2022385,795
November 2022385,874
December 2022384,813
January 2023383,052
February 2023378,952
March 2023375,186
April 2023374,808
May 2023368,434
June 2023372,856
July 2023377,178
August 2023381,291
September 2023380,090
October 2023371,783
November 2023370,158
December 2023364,064
January 2024365,545
February 2024366,917
March 2024367,319
April 2024368,725
May 2024368,376
June 2024369,354
July 2024367,032
August 2024369,686
September 2024370,289
October 2024375,126
November 2024372,011
December 2024370,872
January 2025367,374
February 2025371,124
March 2025374,273
April 2025379,239
May 2025380,621
June 2025387,668
July 2025386,792
August 2025386,045
September 2025381,824
October 2025381,042
November 2025380,663
December 2025383,336
January 2026379,104
February 2026380,095
March 2026376,035
April 2026380,614
May 2026380,419
June 2026380,480
July 2026378,080
Source →

What could change locally?

opportunity

Link Garden Community homes to their supporting services

Chelmsford Garden Community includes planned schools, green space and transport links; legal agreements were still being finalised in the reviewed update.

Proposed response: Show when supporting infrastructure is due alongside each housing phase.

What could help →

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,439 a month (August 2026) in Chelmsford council area. This is £20 lower than the England average for the same month.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

What could help →

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

19.4% of people in Chelmsford council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021).

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

What could help →

The full local action plan →

Plans with a local address

North-east Chelmsford, including Beaulieu and Channels

Chelmsford Garden Community

New neighbourhoods in north-east Chelmsford are planned alongside schools, green space and transport links. The final outline application was supported, with legal agreements still being completed.

Resolution to approve; legal agreements being finalised · evidence dated 2026-10-02

Responsible body: Chelmsford City Council, Essex County Council and developer consortium

Progress, funding and source

The updated council page records the Zone 2 resolution to approve on 30 June 2026 and draft agreements published in September. It gives 15 October 2026 as the extended agreement deadline, not proof the agreements were signed.

Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
Unmapped: a verified current ward boundary or council ward statement is still needed.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

Chelmsford Garden Community →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

How to track delivery →

Former gasworks and land south of Hill Road Allotments

Chelmer Waterside enabling works

Moving gas equipment clears a major obstacle to housing on the former gasworks land. The site’s redevelopment also relies on access and ground preparation.

Enabling work programme published; completion not verified · evidence dated 2026-07-29

Responsible body: Chelmsford City Council and Cadent

Progress, funding and source

The council page explains that relocating the gas-pressure equipment enables homes on the old works site. Its July 2026 timetable lists staged works; it does not confirm all stages were completed.

Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
Unmapped: a verified current ward boundary or council ward statement is still needed.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

Gas Pressure Reduction System →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

How to track delivery →
All local projects and plans →