Chelsea is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, home to about 16,260 people across 24 square miles. Its ZIP code is 35043, and parts of 35051, 35147 and 35186 are in Chelsea too.
Homes sold for a median of $175 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Chelsea; also Pelham
Mostly Columbiana; part is in Chelsea
Mostly Westover; part is in Chelsea
Mostly Wilsonville; part is in Chelsea
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Chelsea. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Chelsea’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)20 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Atlanta, GA131 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Houston, TX570 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Chelsea; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Chelsea had 14,982 residents in the 2020 census, up 408% since 2000.
It’s the 45th largest of 591 towns in Alabama by population.
Shelby County grew from 23,684 residents in 1900 to 223,024 in 2020.
Shelby County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 36°F. About 56.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Alabaster Shelby Co Ap, AL weather station (12 miles away).
87,718 jobs at 5,610 businesses in Shelby County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
51 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Chelsea.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 4 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 10 |
| Mental health providers | 10 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 17 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (3 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1996.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Shelby County. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea Park Elementary SchoolChelsea | K–5 | 891 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Forest Oaks Elementary SchoolChelsea | K–5 | 606 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Chelsea Middle SchoolChelsea | 6–8 | 831 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Chelsea High SchoolChelsea | 9–12 | 1,235 | Public | 4.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Columbiana, Pelham, Wilsonville, Westover, Sterrett and Vandiver.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.