# Chelsea, Alabama

Chelsea is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Birmingham metropolitan area. Chelsea was incorporated on March 1, 1996, with a population of 906. At the 2020 census, the population was 14,982. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population for Chelsea was 10,183 and 14,126 in 2019.

## Geography

Chelsea is located near the central part of Shelby County at 33° 20' 24" N, -86° 37' 49" W (33.3401108 N, -86.6302625 W). The city is traversed by multiple county highways, as well as U.S. Route 280, which runs through the northern part of the city, leading northwest 19 mi (31 km) to downtown Birmingham, and east 12 mi (19 km) to Harpersville. Double Oak Mountain, a southern extension of the Appalachian Mountains, runs northwest of the city. Part of the city limits extend along US 280 on top of the ridge.

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Chelsea racial composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 11,941 | 79.7% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,365 | 9.11% |
| Native American | 43 | 0.29% |
| Asian | 289 | 1.93% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 666 | 4.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 676 | 4.51% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,982 people, 4,508 households, and 3,650 families residing in the city.

### 2010 census

In 2010, Chelsea had a population of 10,183. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 90.5% white or Caucasian, 4.7% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, 1.3% from two or more races and 3.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

### 2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 2,949 people, 1,022 households and 849 families residing in the city. The population density was 293.6 inhabitants per square mile (113.4/km$^2$). There were 1,091 housing units at an average density of 108.6 per square mile (41.9/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the city was 96.78% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,022 households, of which 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.9% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.17.
29.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,083, and the median income for a family was $72,206. Males had a median income of $46,071 versus $28,403 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,717. About 5.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
The population of Chelsea is rapidly increasing due to new home construction in the area.

## Schools

Chelsea has four schools in the Shelby County School system:
* Chelsea Park Elementary (K-5)
* Forest Oaks Elementary (K-5)
* Chelsea Middle (6-8)
* Chelsea High School (9-12)
As of the 2022 school year Mt. Laurel Elementary was moved into the Oak Mountain School District due to pressure from the City of Chelsea to reduce 'overcrowding' at the middle and high school levels of the Chelsea School District, however Mt. Laurel Elementary still remains a part of the Shelby County School system.

## Local government

The City of Chelsea was incorporated March 1, 1996. As of 2022, Its municipal government is headed by the mayor, Tony Picklesimer, and city council members Scott Weygand, Chris Grace, Cody Sumners, Tiffany Bittner, and Casey Morris.
In 2019, the citizens of Chelsea voted in favor of an increased sales tax to be used for funding schools residing in the Chelsea School District. In the summer of 2021 the mayor of Chelsea, Tony Picklesimer led a local effort to break away from the Shelby County School system and form a city school system. The feasibility study was presented to the public on November 18, 2021. At one time it could be viewed on the City of Chelsea website.
On July 12, 2022, the special election to increase property tax was held. A record turn-out resulted in a resounding no to the increase in property taxes and the formation of a city school system. 32% of registered voters turned out (highest turnout in a Chelsea City election). "According to City Clerk Crystal Etheredge, the vote was 3,218 against vs. 467 for. A total of 3,685 people turned out to vote with the opposing side having 87.3% majority vote." The percentages for and against the tax increase seemed to coincide closely with the statistical survey the City of Chelsea conducted.

## Notable people

* Gary Bradberry, Charlie Bradberry, and Stanley Smith - NASCAR
* Fabian Sanchez - Dancing With The Stars member and "Mambo King"
* Paul Janeway - St. Paul and The Broken Bones lead singer