TOWN OF CHELMSFORD

Eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Lowell and Tyngsborough on the north, Billerica and Tewksbury on the east, Carlisle on the south, and Westford on the west. Chelmsford is 24 miles north of Boston, 40 miles northeast of Worcester, and 225 miles from New York City.

Chelmsford's website

TOWN SERVICES:    

TOWN CONTACTS (as of May 2004)

Board of Selectmen (978) 250 – 5201
Michael F. McCall – Chairman
Philip M. Eliopoulos – ViceChair
Stuart G. Weisfeldt - Clerk
Thomas Newcomb
William F. Dalton

Town Manager (978) 250 - 5201
Bernard F. Lynch 

Town Clerk (978) 250 - 5205
Elizabeth L. Delaney 

Building Inspector (978) 250 - 5255
Anthony F. Zagzoug 

Community Development Coordinator (978) 250 - 5247
Andrew J. Sheehan 

Planning Board (978) 250–5231
Pamela L. Armstrong - Chairman
Christopher T. Garrahan - ViceChairman
Robert C. Morse - Clerk
Susan Carter Sullivan
James P. Good
Robert P. Joyce
Charles Wojtas

Conservation Commission (978) 250–5247
W. Robert Greenwood - Chairman
Caroline Hampton - Vice Chairman
Trillium LeVine - Conservation Officer
Charles E. Arnold
David J. McLachlan
Anthony Omobono
William R. Vines
Brian Reidy
Andrew Sheehan - Clerk

Board of Health Director (978) 250-5241  
Richard J. Day

Housing Authority Director (978) 256-7425
David Hedison

Public Works Director and Town Engineer (978) 250-5228
James E. Pearson

Public Water System:

Approximately 95% of the town is serviced by public water systems through one of the community’s three water districts – Chelmsford Center Water District; North Chelmsford Water District or East Chelmsford Water District. 

Trash Collection:

The Town has curbside trash collection and recycling. In FY98, Chelmsford residents disposed of 14,620 tons of solid waste and recycled 3,370 tons. 

Sewer:  

Sewer Commission:
John P. Emerson Jr.
Barry Balan
George Abely
Richard Day
John Souza

The Chelmsford Sewer Project, underway since 1984, reached an important milestone in 1998 with the start of sewer line construction in East Chelmsford. This area was the last section of Town envisioned for sewers in the 1984 Wastewater Facilities Plan. That plan outlined an implementation program for sewering 68% of the Town. Design began in 1998 on the final phase to sewer the remaining 32% of Chelmsford. 75% of the Town is under town sewerage as of the summer of 2000. 

Library:  

Public Library Director: Becky Herrmann (978) 256-5521

The Chelmsford Public Library underwent renovations and expanded its size and holdings in 1999. The Town also has a satellite library – the Anna C. MacKay Memorial Library on Newfield St. in North Chelmsford. 

Schools:  

School Committee
Tom Mills
Sheila Pichette
Kevin Porter
Angelo Taranto
Evelyn Thoren

The Chelmsford School System is made up of five K – 4 elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. 1999 – 2000 enrollments for all Chelmsford Public Schools are 4,069. The town is also one of seven member communities of the Nashoba Valley Technical High School. 

Public Safety:

Chelmsford Police Department is staffed by 58 permanent officers and the Fire Dept. roster totals 62 firefighters and officers. 

Chief of Police: Chief Raymond C. McCusker (978) 256-2521

Chief of Fire Dept: Chief Jack Parow (978) 250-5267  

Rail:

Commuter rail service to North Station, Boston is available at Lowell Gallagher Terminal or at the newly renovated North Billerica Station (travel time 40 mins). Freight rail service is available from Guilford Transportation, contact number: (978) 663-1073 

Bus:

Chelmsford is a member of the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA). Fixed bus service is provided, and paratransit services, including medical trips to Boston, are available for the elderly and disabled through LRTA’s Road Runner program.   

FY2003 TAX RATE: Residential - $13.13 per $1,000, Commercial- $13.13 per $1,000

Tax Collector/Finance Director: Charles F. Mansfield (978) 250-5212

Population Trends – CHELMSFORD 
(Updated May 25, 2002)

1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	# Change 1990-2000	% Change 1990-2000
15,130	31,432	31,174	32,383	33,858	1,475	4.6%

 

Persons by Sex (2000 U.S. Census) 

Male	16,364
Female	17,494

 

Age Distribution (2000 U.S. Census) 

	Persons	%
Under 5	2,264	6.7%
5 – 14	4,784	14.1%
15 – 44	13,630	40.3%
45 – 64	8,762	32.9%
65 & over	4,418	13.1%

   

Race and Ethnicity (2000 U.S. Census) 

	Persons	%
White	31,520	93.1%
Black	266	0.8%
Am Indian, Eskimo or Aleut	23	0.1%
Asian or Pacific Islander	1,563	4.6%
Hispanic Origin	418	1.2%

 Households (2000 U.S. Census) 

1980	1990	2000
9,588	11,453	12,812

 

Household Size (2000 U.S. Census) 

 2.61 Persons per household 

Poverty Status (2000 U.S. Census) 

Persons Below  Poverty Level:	Chelmsford	Mass.
	938	573,421
	2.8%	9.3%

 

Households by Type (2000 U.S. Census)                                  

	Households	%
Married Couple/ Family	9,307	72.6%
Female Householder	1,148	9.0%
Non-Family Household	3,505	27.4%

   Income Distribution  (2000 U.S. Census) 

	Households	%
Less than $10,000	523	4.1
$ 10,000 - $ 14,999	400	3.1
$ 15,000 - $ 24,999	887	6.9
$ 25,000 - $ 34,999	847	6.6
$ 35,000 - $ 49,999	1,693	13.2
$ 50,000 - $ 74,999	2,589	20.2
$ 75,000 - $ 99,999	2,247	17.5
$ 100,000 - $149,999	2,555	19.9
$ 150,000 - $199,999	672	5.2
$ 200,000 or more	413	3.2

 

Sources of Income (2000 U.S. Census) 

	# of Households	Average Income
Wage & Salary	10,820	$80,310
Social Security	2,360	$7,827
Public Assistance	411	$3,946
Retirement	1,823	$7,951
Supplemental Security	1,823	$7,951

 

HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS 

Housing Units (2000 U.S. Census) 

1970	1980	1990	2000
8,559	9,813	11,815	13,025

 

Median Household Income (1990 U.S. Census) 

1970	1980	1990	2000
$13,867	$26,248	$54,191	$70,207

 

Median Home Sale Price (Banker & Tradesman) 

	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000
1 – Family	$149,750	$159,555	$166,000	$190,986	$240,000
Condo	$94,900	$95,250	$106,000	$125,950	$154,000
All Sales	$127,490	$133,250	$138,800	$159,000	$199,200

 

Housing Unit Permit Data 

1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000
100	141	216	69	103	43

Housing Breakdown by Occupancy (2000 U.S. Census) 

TOTAL HOUSING UNITS	13,025
Total Occupied Units	12,812	98.4%
Owner Occupied	10,743	83.9%
Renter Occupied	2,069	16.1%
Total Vacant	213	1.6%

LAND USE CLASSIFICATION (Mass. GIS 1991)  

CHELMSFORD LAND USE	ACREAGE	% OF TOTAL
Residential	6,874.74 Acres	46.5%
Commercial	376.89 Acres	2.6%
Industrial	528.66 Acres	3.6%
Agriculture	590.17 Acres	4.0%
Open Space/ Recreation	5,283.2 Acres	35.8%
Transportation/Mining/Waste	748.16 Acres	5.1%
Water	370.02 Acres	2.5%
TOTAL ACREAGE	14,771.84 Acres	100%

 

RECREATION 

Chelmsford Recreation Commission
50 Billerica Rd Chelmsford, Ma. 01824
Holly Hamilton – Coordinator (978) 250-5262

 

Recreational Facilities 

Cranberry Bog Reservation  (164 acres)
Hiking, wildlife observation, fishing 

George B.B. Wright Reservation (110 acres)
Hiking, nature observation 

Lime Quarry Reservation (64 acres)
Hiking, nature observation 

Lowell Sportsman Club (64 acres) private)
Fresh water fishing, target archery, shooting 

Chelmsford Country Club 31.5 acres) (municipal)
Golf, sledding 

Chelmsford High School (52 acres)
Baseball/softball, cross country skiing, football/soccer, general play, hiking, nature observation, organized events, tennis.   

Russell Mill Pond and Forest (132 acres)
Hiking, horseback riding, nature observation, fishing, boating, soccer 

Thanksgiving Ground Forest (48 acres)
Fresh water fishing, swimming, hiking, nature observation, boating 

McCarthy Jr. High School (42 acres)
Baseball/softball, football/soccer, general play, nature observation, tennis, walking/jogging 

Freeman Lake (77 acres)
Swimming, boating (non-motorized), skating 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Employment Base – 1999  

LABOR FORCE – 2000	21,583
# Residents Employed	21,188
# Residents Unemployed	395
Chelmsford Unemployment Rate	1.8%
NMCOG Region Unemployment Rate	2.5%
State Unemployment Rate	2.6%

 

Employment by Industry Sector – 2001 (Mass Division of Employment & Training ES - 202 Series)

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing	222
Government	1,451
Construction	511
Manufacturing	6,849
TCPU	3,002
Trade	3,811
FIRE	482
Services	7,280
Total Employment/Chelmsford	25,750

TCPU = Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities 
FIRE = Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
conf = Data suppressed due to confidentiality

Means Of Transportation To Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)

Subject	1990 Census		2000 Census		Change 1990 to 2000
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Workers 16 years & over	18,276	100.0	17,929	100.0	-347	-1.9
Drove alone	15,898	87.0	15,736	87.8	-162	-1.0
Carpooled	1,406	7.7	1,072	6.0	-334	-23.8
Public transportation (including taxicab)	232	1.3	411	2.3	179	77.2
Bicycle or walked	277	1.5	122	0.7	-155	-56.0
Motorcycle or other means	99	0.5	50	0.3	-49	-49.5
Worked at home	364	2.0	538	3.0	174	47.8

Travel Time To Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)

Subject	1990 Census		2000 Census		Change 1990 to 2000
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Workers who did not work at home	17,912	100.0	17,391	100.0	-521	-2.91.4
Less than 5 minutes	397	2.2	251	1.4	-146	-36.8
5 to 9 minutes	1,643	9.2	1,328	7.6	-315	-19.2
10 to 14 minutes	2,688	15.0	2,517	14.5	-171	-6.4
15 to 19 minutes	2,962	16.5	2,411	13.9	-551	-18.6
20 to 29 minutes	4,373	24.4	3,717	21.4	-656	-15.0
30 to 44 minutes	3,800	21.2	3,969	22.8	169	4.4
45 or more minutes	2,049	11.4	3,198	18.4	1,149	56.1
Mean travel time to work (minutes)	23.1	X	27.6	X	4.5	X

 

MEDIA:  

Lowell Sun
15 Kearney Square, Lowell 458 – 7100 

Chelmsford Independent
15 Fletcher Street, Chelmsford, 256 – 7196 

Media One
12 Washer St, Lowell, Ma 

REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY:  

Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
115 Thorndike Street, Lowell MA 01852
Robert W. Flynn, Executive Director
Phone: (978) 454 – 8021
Fax: (978) 454 – 8023