I have spent a week in Chelmsford getting to know the place, read all about this commuters paradise in my below area guide.
About Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Essex is a charming city located in the South East of England.
It’s known for its mix of historical and modern elements, offering a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.
You can explore the beautiful Hylands House and Estate, take a leisurely walk along the River Chelmer, or visit the bustling High Street filled with shops and cafes.
Chelmsford was previously famous for its annual V Festival and boasts a rich industrial history.
Most famously Chelmsford is globally known as the birthplace of Marconi’s radio.
It’s a place where you can enjoy a calm and picturesque experience in the heart of Essex.
Chelmsford Area Guide – Transport Links
Although a City now in its own right, Chelmsford is very much in the commuter belt of the home counties.
With that being the case it’s no surprise that it has a fast train service into central London.
On a weekday there are about six services an hour heading into the capital. It takes around 25 minutes to get to Stratford and another 10 onto Liverpool Street.
Going in the other direction it offers a good service to places like Ipswich, Norwich and Colchester.
Of note is the fact development has started for Chelmsford’s second train station positioned at the other end of town.
The Beaulieu Park station will be Network Rail’s first new station in 100 years according to their site. It’s anticipated opening date is mid 2025.
It must be noted that train fares aren’t cheap costing £34 for a peak weekday ticket to Liverpool Street. It must be said that with annual tickets you can make savings but it is still an expensive way to travel.
As you might imagine there are a number of bus routes covering both Chelmsford itself and wider destinations. The bus terminus is conveniently located next to the train station.
All Chelmsford bus tickets are £2 for journeys in and around the city.
Chelmsford is serviced by the A12 fast road, getting drivers to the M25 in about 15-20 minutes.
I found traffic around the town centre to be busy ay peak times including weekends, but this is to be expected.
Crime – Is Chelmsford a safe area?
Chelmsford is a realively safe area when compared to other large hubs in Essex and London.
The crime rate in the city is 101.3 crimes per 1,000 people. This is lower than such places as Colchester (112) and Basildon (131).
It must be noted that crime in Chelmsford is higher than the rest of the County overall. With that said retail and nightlife hubs typically have higher crime rates than rural areas.
Naturally with a City of its size there is still crime to be aware of including bike theft at the train station and weekend alcohol related violence.
Chelmsford Area Guide – Demographics
Being one of the largest residential areas in Essex it comes as no surprise that Chelmsford has a healthy (and growing population).
As of 2021 the population stood at 181,500. It is the second-largest settlement in Essex, after Colchester.
Chelmsford is a diverse city with a wide range of ethnic groups and cultures represented. In terms of an ethnic breakdown of the City, here are the stats;
White: 88.5%
Mixed or Multiple: 2.6%
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh: 5.3%
Black, African, Caribbean or Black British: 2.6%
In terms of religion the breakdown is as below;
Christian: 55.3%
No religion: 32.6%
Muslim: 1.6%
Other religions: 1.1%
The average household income in Chelmsford is £37,100, which is notably higher than the national average of £31,400.
Chelmsford is home to a lot of bars and restaurants
Chelmsford Area Guide – House Prices
According to Rightmove the average value of properties in Chelmsford was £403,651 over the last year.
As a rough guide, semi-detached properties sold for an average of £442,417, with terraced properties fetching £377,824.
In terms of a trend, sold prices in Chelmsford over the last year were similar to the previous year and 3% up on the 2020 peak of £393,392.
Verdict – Is Chelmsford a nice place to live?
The short answer is yes, Chelmsford is a nice place to live. Having spent a week in the City I was impressed with what it had to offer.
Chelmsford’s town centre rivals any in the Essex area with a wide range of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.
On the subject of entertainment there are many options available including ice skating, a theatre, two cinemas and a bowling alley.
If you lived in Chelmsford you really wouldn’t have to travel for entertainment or shopping.
You also have the County Cricket Ground if cricket is your game whereby Essex are one of the top teams in the Country.
House prices are in that goldilocks bracket in that they aren’t too expensive but you can still easily commute to London.
Crime is under control and the beautiful Central Park is a real asset to the area.
A new train station is right around the corner which will only add to Chelmsford’s desirably.
All in all I can’t think of many negatives so it should be high on potential residents shortlists in my view.
