Chelmsford CM1
Chelmsford 023 · 4 sub-areas · 7,349 residents
Chelmsford 023 sits within Chelmsford in the East of England, home to around 7,350 people and skewing notably young — nearly four in ten residents are aged 18 to 34. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for around £1,300 a month, close to the national median for a two-bed, and the rail link puts central London roughly 38 minutes away by public transport.
Chelmsford CM1 is a mid-density neighbourhood of Chelmsford in the East of England region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The population skews young, with a high concentration of 18- to 34-year-olds; the rental market is active and turnover is high — people move through rather than stay.
Overview
What's it like to live in Chelmsford CM1?
The area is unusually green for its density — 5 parks and 2 playgrounds sit within five minutes' walk of the centroid; there's a serious food scene on the doorstep — 67 restaurants and lots of variety within a five-minute walk; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,442 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Chelmsford CM1 in Chelmsford
Living in Chelmsford CM1
This part of Chelmsford feels more urban and renter-heavy than much of the surrounding city. With nearly half of all households in private rented accommodation and a significant concentration of solo renters — around 43% of households are single-person — it has the texture of a young professional quarter rather than a settled family suburb. Greenspace is genuinely close: roughly 72% of residents can reach open green space within a walkable distance, and the median distance to the nearest greenspace is under 250 metres.
On cost, Chelmsford 023 sits in a middle band for the city. A one-bedroom runs around £1,060 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,300, and a three-bedroom around £1,550. Rents rose nearly 8% in the past year, which is a meaningful squeeze. The rent-to-take-home ratio sits at around 62%, which is high — if you're renting here on a typical resident salary of around £36,000, housing is taking a substantial share of your pay packet. Saving for a deposit is more manageable than in London: the local median house price is around £274,000, and it takes roughly 3.8 years to save a deposit at average savings rates.
The demographic profile leans toward degree-educated young adults. Around 48% of residents hold a degree-level qualification — well above the national average — and the largest age cohort by some margin is 18 to 34-year-olds at nearly 40% of the population. Owner-occupation is relatively low at 36%, reinforcing the sense that many people here are at an earlier stage of their housing journey.
Practically, the nearest mainline rail station is around 770 metres away — roughly a ten-minute walk — and the public transport journey to London runs to about 38 minutes, which makes this a realistic commuter neighbourhood for people working in the capital. Just over 40% of residents work from home at least partly, which is notably high. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on how this neighbourhood breaks down.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Chelmsford 023 a nice place to live?
- It depends what you're after. It works well for young professionals who want a fast rail link to London, good broadband, and a renter-friendly neighbourhood. Greenspace is genuinely close — most residents are within walking distance of open green space. The trade-off is a high rent-to-income ratio and a crime rate well above the national average, so it's less suited to those prioritising quiet suburban living.
- What is the rent in Chelmsford 023?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £1,060 a month, a two-bedroom around £1,300, and a three-bedroom around £1,550. These are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose by roughly 8% over the past year, so factor in further increases if you're signing a new tenancy.
- Is Chelmsford 023 safe?
- The recorded crime rate is around 316 incidents per 1,000 residents per year, which is significantly above the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. That's partly a function of its urban density and younger population profile. Check the crime category breakdown in the data section below — the headline rate can be driven heavily by minor offences rather than serious crime.
- What's the commute from Chelmsford 023 to London?
- The rail journey to London takes around 38 minutes by public transport. The nearest mainline station is roughly a ten-minute walk away at about 770 metres. That's a competitive commute time for Essex, which is part of why the area attracts a significant share of London workers.
- Who lives in Chelmsford 023?
- Predominantly young adults and graduate renters. Nearly 40% of residents are aged 18 to 34, around 48% hold a degree-level qualification, and almost half of households are single-person. Private renting dominates at nearly 46% of tenures. It's less of a family neighbourhood and more of a young professional and student-adjacent area.
- What schools are near Chelmsford 023?
- There are 67 schools within 2 km of typical residents in this area — a large number. Around 34% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, which is significantly below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 1 km away. Catchment boundaries vary considerably, so check with Chelmsford City Council's admissions service before making decisions based on proximity alone.
- How does Chelmsford 023 compare to the rest of Chelmsford for rent?
- A two-bedroom here runs around £1,300 a month, close to the national median for a two-bed. Rents rose by about 8% in the past year, above the typical rate of increase in the wider city. The rent-to-income ratio of around 62% is high, meaning housing costs take a substantial share of the median resident salary of roughly £36,000.