Chelsea is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States.

[5] Chelsea was surveyed in the spring of 1863 by Charles Irish for Seneca C. Breese on the northwest quarter of section 17.

The post office was established in 1863, with W. H. Graham as postmaster, succeeded by Martin Smith and then Fred Roach in January 1883.

[6] The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad was the first to reach Chelsea.

The Iowa legislature, by an act approved on July 14, 1856, granted land to the Iowa Central Air Line Railroad Company for building a railroad, with certain conditions.

The railroad progressed steadily: bridging the Cedar River and reaching Otter Creek by 1861 and Chelsea in 1862.

Frequent flooding in Chelsea and its associated costs have led to a population decline and a decrease in the overall standard of living in the community.

[9][10] Set in the floodplain of the Iowa River Valley, Chelsea is surrounded by hills that are partially forested.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.01 square miles (2.62 km2), all land.

30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

About 14.1% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 4.5% of those 65 or over.

Chelsea is within the South Tama County Community School District.