Chelsea is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, home to about 5,426 people across 3.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 48118.
Homes sold for a median of $219 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Chelsea; also Sylvan Township (Washtenaw County) and Lima
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 | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)36 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Detroit, MI48 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL190 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 5,467 residents in the 2020 census, up 11% since 2010.
It’s the 337th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Washtenaw County grew from 47,761 residents in 1900 to 372,258 in 2020.
Washtenaw County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 34.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 33 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Chelsea, MI weather station (about a mile away).
158,858 jobs at 8,322 businesses in Washtenaw County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
376 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Chelsea.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 54 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 66 |
| Dentists | 18 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 59 |
| Mental health providers | 78 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 84 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 13 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
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 (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 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 1889.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Chelsea School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Creek Elementary SchoolChelsea | Pre-K–2 | 485 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| South Meadows Elementary SchoolChelsea | 3–5 | 476 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Beach Middle SchoolChelsea | 6–8 | 525 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Chelsea High SchoolChelsea | 9–12 | 750 | Public | 1.7 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 Sylvan Township (Washtenaw County), Lima, Lyndon, Dexter Township and Freedom.
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.