5 things to know about living in Chelsea
A quick drive over the Tobin Bridge from the city is what The Boston Globe recently called the “new ‘it’ zip.”
Chelsea has been gentrifying rapidly in the last few years, with the Globe noting, “Chelsea is on the move, but, quite remarkably, without leaving behind its poor people. Chelsea’s history as a gateway city is worth noting and preserving.”
After overcoming a massive fire in the 1970s and multiple other tragedies, Chelsea has been trying to bounce back as a vibrant waterfront community.
Check it out.
1. You’ll live in…
… a multifamily home. There are plenty of duplexes and triplexes in Chelsea, many of which will be either brick or with siding. Though you can find some single-family homes, there are mostly condos for sale.
There has been quite a bit of development in Chelsea, bringing Boston-like luxury buildings to the area, especially in Admirals Hill. For example, last fall nine “microlofts’’ went up for sale at 305 Commandants Way, marketed toward young professionals. One North of Boston is another new luxury development bringing 222 rental units to the area.
2. You’ll pay…
… quite a bit less than neighboring Revere and Everett. The Zillow Home Value Index puts Chelsea’s median home value at $287,300, while Revere and Everett’s fall in the $300,000 range. Values have increased in Chelsea 9.8 percent in the past year and are expected to increase another 2.6 percent in the next year.
For $250,000 to $350,000, you can get a one- to three-bedroom condo with close to 1,000 square feet of living space. Chelsea’s WalkScore is 80, making it a very walkable city. The most walkable Chelsea neighborhoods are Belingham Square, Broadway and Addison-Orange.
3. You’ll hang out…
… near the water. One of Trip Advisor’s top things to do in town is to visit Mary O’Malley State Park, which is right on the Mystic River in Admirals Hill. At the park you can see cherry trees and a wind sculpture, and take advantage of a variety of recreational activities, such as a playground and tennis courts. You will also have a view of the old Chelsea Naval Hospital, which was used from the year 1836 until 1974 and is now a condo complex.
The No. 1 rated Trip Advisor activity is to spend time at Mystic Brewery, which specializes “in farmhouse-style ales utilizing locally sourced yeast and other ingredients.” The brewery also prides itself on making beer with historical techniques in mind and having a variety of beers on tap, along with food from Ciao! Pizza and Pasta.
If you are in the mood for some exercise, you can head to Boston Paintball, which is all indoors and has three different courses for different skill levels.
For a calmer night, Apollinaire Theatre Company is a local favorite. It’s a professional theater in the Old Post Office Building in Chelsea (and even sometimes does shows outside in the summer). It is also involved with the Chelsea Youth Theater program and the Apollinaire Art Gallery, which showcases local work. The Boston Globe recently noted that Apollinaire is a rarity for local theater programs, as it has continued to grow instead of cutting costs.
When it’s time to eat, you’ll find food from across the globe. The No. 1 rated restaurant on Yelp is the previously mentioned Ciao! Pizza and Pasta, but a close second is Fusion Foods, which brings Chelsea Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.
4. Your kids will…
… go to mediocre schools. Only two public schools in Chelsea get above a 5 on the 1-10 GreatSchools rating scale. Edgar A. Hooks Elementary School gets a 6 and Frank M Sokolowski Elementary School gets a 5, while the rest get a 3, 2 or 1.
5. You’ll love…
… the public transportation to Boston. Chelsea station is on the Newburyport/Rockport train line and can take passengers straight into Boston. There are also a few MBTA bus lines that go from areas in Chelsea into Boston’s Haymarket area.
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