Chelsea, Massachusetts | ||
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City | ||
The Tobin Bridge, linking Chelsea and Boston
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Location in Suffolk County and the state of Massachusetts |
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Location in the United States | ||
Coordinates: 42°23′30″N 71°02′00″W / 42.39167°N 71.03333°WCoordinates: 42°23′30″N 71°02′00″W / 42.39167°N 71.03333°W | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Massachusetts | |
County | Suffolk | |
Settled | 1624 | |
Incorporated | 1739 | |
Government | ||
• Type | Council-manager government | |
• City Manager | Thomas G. Ambrosino | |
• Deputy City Manager | Ned Keefe | |
Area | ||
• Total | 2.5 sq mi (6.4 km2) | |
• Land | 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km2) | |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) | |
Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) | |
Population (2010) | ||
• Total | 35,177 | |
• Estimate (2016) | 39,699 | |
• Density | 14,000/sq mi (5,500/km2) | |
Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | |
Zip code | 02150 | |
Area code(s) | 617 / 857 | |
FIPS code | 25-13205 | |
GNIS feature ID | 0612723 | |
Website | http://www.chelseama.gov |
Operational area | |
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Country | United States |
State | Massachusetts |
City | Chelsea |
Agency overview | |
Annual calls | ~11,000 |
Employees | 95 |
Fire chief | Robert Better |
EMS level | BLS First Responder |
Facilities and equipment | |
Battalions | 1 |
Stations | 3 |
Engines | 4 |
Ladders | 2 |
Squads | 1 |
Tenders | 1 |
USAR | 1 |
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. As of 2013, Chelsea had an estimated population of 36,828. It is also the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts behind Somerville. With a total area of just 2.21 square miles, Chelsea is the smallest city in Massachusetts in terms of total area.
Chelsea is a diverse, working-class community that contains a high level of industrial activity. It is one of only three Massachusetts cities in which the majority of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, alongside Lawrence and Holyoke. After flirting with bankruptcy in the 1990s, the once-struggling industrial city has reversed a prolonged decline and in recent years has enjoyed sustained economic growth. Thanks to its relative affordability and close proximity to Boston, Chelsea has added more than 1,200 homes since 2005, mostly loft-style apartments and condominiums suitable for small families or young professionals. There has also been significant office, retail and restaurant development throughout the city.
The area of Chelsea was first called Winnisimmet (meaning "good spring nearby") by the Massachusett tribe, which once lived there. It was settled in 1624 by Samuel Maverick, whose palisaded trading post is considered the first permanent settlement by Boston Harbor. In 1635, Maverick sold all of Winnisimmet, except for his house and farm, to Richard Bellingham. The community remained part of Boston until it was set off and incorporated in 1739, when it was named after Chelsea, a neighborhood in London, England.