Rank
271
C
Chelsea
5 schools · 1 high school · 4 elementary schools · Chelsea
Chelsea is an urban community just north of Boston, directly across the Mystic River from the city. The district serves approximately 3,800 students across four elementary schools and Chelsea High School, which is the town's only secondary institution. Chelsea has undergone significant demographic changes over recent decades and continues to serve a diverse student population. The town's economy reflects the challenges common to many inner-ring urban areas north of Boston, and the district faces resource constraints typical of communities in this region.
Avg MCAS ELA
22.8%
#306 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
36.4%
#217 of 326
Avg SAT
1,041
#242 of 290
Attendance
88.7%
#312 of 328
Graduation Rate
82.1%
#260 of 288
AP Pass Rate
39.9%
#250 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$24,407
#91 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$89,573
#183 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 22% | 40% | — | 488 | 476 |
| Grade 4 | 19% | 34% | — | 486 | 435 |
| Grade 5 | 19% | 15% | 19% | 481 | 386 |
| Grade 6 | 14% | 6% | — | 474 | 407 |
| Grade 7 | 17% | 12% | — | 473 | 410 |
| Grade 8 | 16% | 10% | 9% | 473 | 404 |
| Grade 10 | 20% | 18% | 18% | 480 | 347 |
| HS Science | — | — | 11% | 473 | 367 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 4.9%
Asian: 0.4%
Hispanic: 89.9%
Black: 4.3%
Multi-Race: 0.4%
Am. Indian: 0.1%
Female: 48.2%Male: 51.8%
High Schools in Chelsea
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
281
C
Chelsea High
SAT
1,041
ELA
21%
Math
19%
Grad
82.1%
281
C
Chelsea High
1,041
21%
19%
39.9%
82.1%
Elementary Schools in Chelsea
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
498
C+
William A Berkowitz Elementary
ELA
37%
Math
64%
Attend.
92%
Class
17
498
C+
William A Berkowitz Elementary
37%
64%
92%
17
598
C+
Edgar F. Hooks Elementary
ELA
28%
Math
56%
Attend.
90.9%
Class
18
598
C+
Edgar F. Hooks Elementary
28%
56%
90.9%
18
856
C-
Frank M Sokolowski Elementary
ELA
16%
Math
25%
Attend.
92.2%
Class
20
856
C-
Frank M Sokolowski Elementary
16%
25%
92.2%
20
890
C-
George F. Kelly Elementary
ELA
12%
Math
18%
Attend.
93.9%
Class
24
890
C-
George F. Kelly Elementary
12%
18%
93.9%
24
District Operations
Attendance
#312 of 328Attendance Rate88.7%
Avg Days Absent19
Chronically Absent (10%+)36%
Chronically Absent (20%+)15%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#91 of 325In-District Per Pupil$22,535
Total Per Pupil$24,407
Total FTE Students7,294
Teacher Salaries
#183 of 325Average Salary$89,573
Teacher FTE Count491
Salary vs. Town Income3.4x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 3.4x the town's per capita income ($26,572). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#293 of 327Avg Class Size20
English Learners47.7%
Students w/ Disabilities19.3%
Total Students6,200
Staffing & Retention
#267 of 327Teacher Retention79.1%
Principal Retention63.6%
Total Teachers492
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Chelsea
Avg Assessed Value
$367,078
#213 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$4,214
Income Per Capita
$26,572
#219 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#325
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.15%
Tax as % of Income15.86%(typical)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$58.1M+1.19% levy growth(typical)
Residential$31.4M
Commercial/Industrial$26.7M
Residential Share36.07%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.7% (2.5% base + 1.19% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (36.07%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$32.4M12.6% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $257.7M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 5,768(79.9%)
Vocational: 258(3.6%)
Charter: 988(13.7%)
Private: 40(0.6%)
Home School: 10(0.1%)
Total: 7,222